


Twisted

by KKetura



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bloodplay, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-15
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2017-11-07 20:09:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 52,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/434897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KKetura/pseuds/KKetura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elena starts working for the Council after her parent's brutal murder and gets sent to investigate some suspicious "animal" attacks. Her quiet fact finding mission quickly spirals out of her control into something much more dangerous when she unsuspectingly runs into one Damon Salvatore. And is the Council being completely honest with her? She's beginning to think not.</p><p>Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Elena had been in town for a day before she made her trip to the big county courthouse. She arrived afterhours, after the sun had just set and the biting chill of night had started to creep in. A storm was starting to blow in and the first flurries of snow had started to fall, swirling around the glowing street lamps. She entered through a side door and made her way down the large marble hallway, her boots clicking rhythmically.

She stopped at the last door on the right and took a deep breath before slowly walking into the dark office. "Hello?" Elena called, entering hesitantly and glancing around.

A middle age woman dressed smartly in a charcoal pencil skirt and button up white shirt with wavy auburn hair came around a divider and stopped, gazing at her with an odd expression on her face. "Who are you?" she asked tersely.

Elena frowned slightly but stepped forward, offering her hand. "I'm Elena Gilbert. I'm looking for Marian Bradley?"

"They sent you?" she said, a slight scathing quality to her voice.

Elena dropped her hand. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

The woman seemed to realize what she had done and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I was just expecting someone with a bit more… experience in these matters."

Elena frowned. "Is it that obvious that I'm new?"

"Yes, it is. That and I heard about your parent's death. I know you started working with the Mystic Falls' Council soon after that. What has it been? Six months?"

Elena winced slightly at the reminder. "Yes." Six months since she had first discovered the existence of vampires.

"I'm Ms. Bradley. Can I see the letter the Council gave you?" she asked brusquely. Elena handed over a folded letter and the woman examined it closely for several long, tense moments before thrusting it back at Elena. "Wait here for a moment while I grab the envelope they sent for you." She disappeared behind a partition for several minutes, rustling sounds accompanying her. When she reemerged she held a thick manila envelope, which she handed to Elena and then stepped back. "Read that when you get to wherever you're staying and do exactly as it says. And for the love of all that's holy, don't tell people who you work for or why you're here." She turned away and just as abruptly disappeared into another dark, adjoining room.

Elena shook her head and tucked the envelope under her arm and quickly left. This was not how she imagined her first assignment from the Council going. She thought that by getting out of Mystic Falls she'd escape some of the stigma surrounding her after her parent's death. Apparently, it had followed her even here, to this small, nothing town in Pennsylvania. The Council had been shocked when they discovered that Miranda and Grayson had told her nothing of her heritage, that she had discovered the existence of vampires when she first saw her parents drained and mangled corpses, the monster responsible still standing over them. Her ignorance initially dissuaded the Council from admitting her, but eventually her adamant resolve to join their cause finally convinced them and they reluctantly decided to allow her to fulfill the role her parents had for some reason denied her.

After almost six months, they had finally decided to let her be useful and told her they had a job for her. It was safe, they told her, merely research into a few reports they had gotten from another vampire aware town up north. Safe seemed to be an overstatement. After only a day here, this town seemed even sleepier than Mystic Falls. She was getting more and more convinced that it was Mayor Lockwood's goal to just get her out of town so she'd stop complaining that they never let her do anything.

As she stepped out of the courthouse, it seemed almost as if it had gotten colder outside in the few minutes she had been in the building. It was only seven o'clock at night, and already the town seemed empty. She got to her car and quickly got in and started it up, blasting the heat. She swung the rental around and drove down the small hill to Main Street and took a left towards one of the town's two stoplights.

In a matter of moments she was on a narrow country road, surrounded by trees and fields. The snow had picked up and the asphalt had started to ice a bit. As she came around a bend, her eyes fell on a large broken tree limb sprawled across the road. She slammed on the brakes, the back end of her car skidding out and swinging around as she lost control, spinning into a large snow bank off the side of the road.

As the car thudded to a stop, she gripped the wheel with fingers tingling from the adrenaline, her breath ragged, barely believing what happened. She sat completely unmoving for a moment then swore softly. She tried the gas but the wheels just spun in the deep snow and eventually she got out, wrapping her scarf a bit tighter, to inspect her situation.

Lights coming over the knoll caught her attention and she watched as they slowed, eventually stopping several feet down the road from her. "Are you alright?" a voice asked as the driver got out of the car.

"I'm fine, just hit a bad spot of ice," she called back, squinting in the headlights. She glanced over as the man approached and froze, her mouth suddenly dry as she got her first good look at him. He was the last thing she expected to see in this podunk little town. She noticed he appeared to be young, maybe a little older than her, and staggeringly good looking with a shock of black hair and startling light eyes, noticeable even in the darkness. The collar of his wool jacket was popped around his neck against the biting cold as he came closer with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. She berated herself silently for acting like a hormonal teen and forced her attention back to her car. "I think I'm stuck."

"Looks that way," he agreed with a hint of humor behind his voice. She looked at him sharply and caught the slight smirk. "Good thing it happened to you. If not, I wouldn't have slowed down and it'd have been me swerving to avoid that tree."

"Anything to help," Elena quipped back. "You think you can give me a push?"

"No," the man said. Elena looked at him in disbelief and he smiled again. "Look at this. You bent an axle. You're not going anywhere."

"God damn it," she swore, standing straight from examining the back of her car with him. She glanced around, the only lights being several miles down the road. She looked back at the man to find him watching her intently. She shifted in the snow self consciously, slightly uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Do you need a ride somewhere?" he asked. His eyes were blue, she noticed, pale and striking, like glacial ice, and all the more bright due to his dark lashes.

She blinked and dropped her gaze with a slight frown. "I'm heading over to the Sharington Bed and Breakfast."

"That's over thirty miles away," he deadpanned.

"Yes," she agreed. "Look, if I can get back to town I'll get a ride from some people I know—"

"No one's going to want to drive thirty miles on bad roads over that hill," he looked her over carefully. "I live just up the road. If you want, you can stay in my extra bedroom and we'll call the garage in the morning to come get your car."

Elena frowned, her heart speeding up at the thought of being anywhere near this man overnight. "Thanks, but I really just need a ride to town."

He shook his head. "I can't get around the tree to take you back. Promise I'll be the perfect gentleman." He grinned and held out his hand. "I'm Damon."

Elena looked back to the tree then reluctantly reached out to take his hand. "Elena Gilbert," she said, sliding her hand into his, surprised by how warm and soft his touch felt. "You're sure you're okay offering up your place?"

"Of course. It's not everyday you run into a pretty stranger on the side of the road that needs help." He grinned mischievously. "Need anything in your car?"

"I'll grab my bag." She popped the trunk and grabbed her big duffle. Damon quickly pulled it from her grasp despite her protests and started heading for his car.

"Hurry, it's freezing out here!"

Elena reluctantly followed him, unable to shake her surprise at how easy she felt around this unknown man as she opened the passenger side door and slipped into the pleasant heat of the car. Damon threw her bag in the back and a moment later had the car in gear, heading back the way he had come.

"So what are you doing here in the middle of nowhere? You're obviously not from around here," he asked as they drove, flakes of snow streaking past the headlights like stars.

"I'm just here for work."

He glanced at her. "What kind of work brings you to a place like this?"

"My company is working with the local historical society. We're based out of Virginia and we're doing some research into small town PA."

"Ah," he said and for a moment she thought she detected a slight sneer to his words. "Sounds intriguing."

Elena frowned. "What do you do?"

"I travel quite a bit. Circumstances have brought me here for a while." Elena started to comment that he hadn't actual answered her question but a moment later he pulled into a driveway that led behind a copse of trees, revealing a quaint farmhouse. He parked and killed the ignition, getting out and grabbing her bag. "Let's get you settled then."

Elena stood next to the car and hesitated. The easy feeling she felt moments before was starting to slip away, replaced by something she couldn't quite place. He stopped and glanced back at her. "You know, I think I'll just use your phone to call into town. It's really too much to stay out here. You've been such a help already," she said quickly, coming around the car.

He looked at her closely but nodded. "Sure, come on in. There's really no reason for you to go though."

The house was warm, heated by a warm fireplace in the living room that they entered upon coming in the front door. The only light came from the flames, sending an eerie, flickering glow over everything. The furniture looked comfortable but worn and lived in. It didn't really seem to go with what little of Damon's personality she had seen.

She slipped out of her coat, then turned and looked at him—and froze. He was standing next to the door, her bag dropped, forgotten, on the floor. His face had transformed into a cold, hostile mask, his pale eyes almost seeming to glow with animosity in the flickering light. The danger radiating off him hit her like a physical blow and she stumbled back a step, cursing herself for a fool, now knowing exactly what she faced.

"Why are you really here, Elena?" he fairly hissed, stepping towards her, his movements unnaturally fluid.

She fumbled in her pocket for the wooden stake she always carried and pulled it out with numb fingers. Damon's figure blurred and pain seared up her arm as he roughly knocked it out of her hand, sending it flying across the room. She clutched her hand with a gasp and fell back even farther, glancing around furtively for something to protect herself with.

Damon blurred again and suddenly his hand had a death grip around her neck. She clutched at it, his unnatural strength just cementing her fear in what he was even more.

"You should answer me, Elena," he said quietly as she clawed at his fingers, trying to draw breath. He let up his hold and she gasped with a choking cough.

"I—I don't know." His grip started to tighten again and she quickly continued. "They said some unnatural attacks had been reported here. I was supposed to check in with the local Council and see what they needed me to do."

Damon's grip loosened again as he reached up and leiserly pulled the scarf from around her throat. He slowly circled around behind her, his fingers trailing loosely across the now bare skin of her neck as he came to stand close behind her. "Tell me what the lovely Ms. Bradley said then," he breathed into her ear, sending shudders through her body.

"She didn't tell me anything."

"Why don't I believe that?" he responded, his head ducking lower. She felt his hot breath over her pulse point and forced herself to remain unmoving.

"I'm telling the truth. I don't know what they want me to do!"

Damon's fingers slipped into her long brown hair, almost caressingly until they tightened abruptly, jerking her head roughly to the side as he reached up and casually ripped her blouse open, buttons flying everywhere, causing a small whimper to escape her as she attempted to control her trembling. "So you are telling me," he breathed into her ear, gently pulling her shirt farther away from her neck and down over her now bare shoulder, "that you showed up and they just told you to go to your hotel and wait?" His head slipped lower and she heard him draw a deep breath over her bare skin. "Hmm. Be a good girl and tell me the truth, or this could turn unpleasant."

Through her fear, Elena remembered the envelope still sitting on the front seat of her wrecked car. She considered not telling him for all of five seconds until she felt sharp teeth brush her skin. She didn't care then; she wanted to live. "In the car," she gasped, pulling against the hand holding her head in a vice grip. "There's an envelope in the car."

Damon chuckled deep in his throat, almost a growl. "Well that's inconvenient."

"Just let me go, please," she said.

"No," he replied and struck. Pain seared through her as his fangs pierced through the delicate skin over her artery. She struggled wildly and the agony only increased, flashing through every vein like fire as her blood was quickly and efficiently drawn out. She beat at him with one hand, the other sunk into his hair, trying to desperately pull him away from her as she begged him to stop.

Damon's other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him as her legs went out and her flailing arms grew heavy and dropped to her side. The pain lessened slightly and the dizziness and numbness started to pull her down. Eventually the draw stopped and he pulled back slightly, lapping idly at the streams of dark blood running across her skin and soaking into her ruined shirt.

"Hmm," he hummed again, sated, and hefted her in his arms, walking her over and laying her down on the couch. "You taste fucking amazing. I might have to keep you around after all."

Elena groaned and tried to sit up but was too weak to do more then flop her arms around a bit. She heard him laugh and looked up at him with dim eyes. He smirked at her and then disappeared. She tried again to get up but her head spun violently and nausea pulled at her, and before she really knew what happened, everything went dim and then completely, hopelessly dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Elena woke with a groan to see dim light streaming in the window behind the couch she was still lying on. For a moment, she was shrouded in confusion and then the memories of the previous night hit her. Her breathing picked up and she slowly turned her head, gasping when she came face to face with piercing, pale blue eyes staring back into her own molten brown ones.

She sat up abruptly and immediately regretted it, feeling like she was going to be violently ill. A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, supporting her, and she jerked away like it was a hot poker.

"Leave me alone," she snapped, scrambling back and curling into a ball at the far end of the couch as far away from him as possible.

Damon watched her closely for several long tense moments from where he sat on the coffee table before he got up abruptly and sat down right next to her, his side and leg pressed against hers.

She shuddered at the warmth she felt emanating from his touch through her clothes and made a futile attempt to get away from him. Her head spun and his hand closed like a vice over her arm, yanking her roughly back.

"Not so fast. I can't have you passing out again."

"What do you want from me?" she asked softly.

"Lots of things. Not the least of which is an easy access juice box on legs." Her hand unconsciously touched the tender wounds on her neck. He chuckled. "That's not all though. I found your letter. Interesting reading, I have to say. I had no idea you were so new to this job." She heard the laughter in his voice and angrily struck out at him. Instantly he moved and she suddenly found herself on her back with his weight pressing her into the cushion and a hand around her throat digging painfully into her bruised skin. "You still have so much to learn," he said in a low voice, gazing down at her, his striking eyes blazing.

"They know I'm here. They'll come looking for me," she said in a more confident voice than she felt.

"You don't have to check in for another two days. Two days to stay and have fun with me."

"If you kill me, they'll hunt you down."

Damon grinned down at her, chilling her. "Who said anything about killing you? We'll have a little fun then I'll send you back to them to do whatever I tell you to do. This couldn't have worked out better if I planned it. Oh, wait, I did." He smirked. "Besides, you're little Council has been hunting me for over a hundred years. I doubt your results will be any different this time."

Despair settled into her heart at his words and she let out a shuddering breath, trying to control her rampant emotions. This was it, how it all ended, just like her parents. She'd be drained dry by this monster then used as a puppet to glean information about the Council, both here and in Mystic Falls. Her life was over.

Damon's eyes narrowed and the hand around her throat ran up and grabbed her chin tightly, forcing her to look at him. "No you don't. You don't get to retreat inside yourself and give up. You're staying with me for the whole ride," he snarled, his pupil contracting oddly with his words.

Her eyes drifted away from his dully, unaffected, and he frowned slightly. "No compulsion, huh? You don't have any jewelry so here are you keeping the vervain?" he demanded, forcing her to meet his gaze again.

It was her turn to frown. "What are you talking about? What's vervain?"

"You work for the Council. How do you not know?" he asked skeptically.

Her brows rose in confusion and he shrugged. "Fine, but if you're going to force me to strip search you for it, I at least want you running on all cylinders." Her eyes went wide with fear as he bit into his wrist. Blood immediately started to flow, dripping down onto her face. She flinched away, but he grabbed her again with his other hand and forced her mouth open, fitting his wrist into it.

She struggled to not swallow and to get away from his hands, but the blood filled her mouth and eventually he reached up and covered her nose. She choked, gasping for air and the blood slipped down her throat. He held his wrist there and she continued to reluctantly choke down the thick, surprising heady liquid.

Elena almost didn't notice when he leaned down and sank fangs into her throat until the overwhelming pleasure snuck up and hit her out of nowhere, sending every nerve in her body singing over the edge. Damon moaned against her, pushing her even farther into the couch and she became obviously aware of his hardness pressing against her. The sensation only added to her already overloaded synapses and her hips bucked almost unconsciously, rubbing herself against him where her body wanted it most; her mouth latching onto him and pulling harder. His other hand slipped under her shirt onto bare skin and slowly caressed up her side until it grazed over her aching breast, his thumb teasing the thin cloth of her bra over her hardened nipple, tipping her over the edge. She screamed against him as her orgasm hit her, the world going white behind a haze of pleasure like she had never felt before in her life. She felt his lips crash down on hers and their blood mingled together on their tongues.

She slowly started to come down from her high and he pulled back gasping, looking down at her with wide eyes. She almost thought she saw fear there, but couldn't hold onto a coherent thought for too long. "What the hell was that?" she gasped.

He was suddenly off of her. She blinked in surprise for a moment then sat up slowly, startled to find that she felt fine, if almost like she was drunk. Running her hand over her neck, she found the aching wound gone. She looked over at the vampire where he stood several feet away, staring at her darkly. "What was that?" she demanded in a softer voice, embarrassment starting to stain her cheeks red.

He blurred, and once again grabbed her and slammed her back onto the couch. "Why don't you tell me? What did you do? And why the hell won't compulsion work on you?" he growled, slamming her back again.

"I didn't do anything!" Elena wheezed, grasping at his hand. "I have no idea what that was!"

Damon's eyes wandered down her face, resting briefly on her lips before he threw her from him with a snarl. Elena gasped and coughed, pushing herself back up. "Why are you so angry?" she asked when she could speak again. "Didn't you mean for that to happen?"

He turned towards her from where he was pacing across the room, his expression dark. "Trust me, this is not me angry." He faced her, his head cocked slightly. "And no, not exactly. That was… There's something not right about you."

"Great," she muttered, struggling to her feet while trying to tamp down the unsatisfied desire that still raged through her "Apparently completely fucked up shit gets me off." She took a stumbling step away from the couch and he glowered, warning in his eyes. "What?" she snapped hotly. "Are you going to keep me confined to this couch for the next two days like a bad eight year old? I need to use the bathroom."

He moved and was suddenly standing inches in front of her. She gasped but held her ground, trying to control her trembling. "It's right over there," he said softly, motioning behind him. She started to step around him but he reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You will not leave this house or even attempt to do so," he said firmly, his pupils contracting again before releasing her. "Or I will snap your neck and turn you into what you hate most."

She paled, unable to suppress a shudder, but hurried to the door across the room, entering and locking it behind her. She glanced around the small, shockingly white bathroom and after only a moment hesitation, quickly hurried to the window, inspecting it. There was no screen and she quickly started to fiddle with the latch and open it, holding the old wavy glass to keep it from shuddering.

Thank God she was on the first floor, she thought as she finally got the window open enough to drop through. She was just about to throw a leg over when she stopped, unable to move. She cursed and tried again with no luck. No matter how much she tried or wanted to go through the window she couldn't make her body do it. She stepped back from the window, fear and frustration coursing through her.

"Interesting," a voice said behind her and she jerked around to find Damon standing in the now open doorway.

"The compulsion worked, didn't it?" she breathed in horror.

He shook his head infinitesimally. "Not the way it is supposed to. Come here." When she didn't move he shrugged. "See, you shouldn't be able to disobey anything I say. I did warn you of the consequences though…" He took a step forward and Elena fell back in horror.

"No!" she pleaded, falling back into the wall.

He stopped, something flitting across his face before wicked amusement replaced it. "No, I suppose Vampire Elena wouldn't be a very good idea… for now." He looked her up and down and then turned and walked out.

She let out a sobbing gasp and sank to her knees, trying to force herself to calm down. There had to be a way out of this. After another moment, she wiped the traitorous tears from her checks and stood up. She splashed water from the sink on her face and took a deep breath, slipping over to the door. She glanced out, and when she didn't see him she moved quickly to the front door where she encountered the same problem she had with the window. She gripped the doorknob but she couldn't make herself turn it. With a curse she turned around, looking around the room desperately. Spotting a phone on the wall, her heart started pounding as hope flooded through her. She ran over and grabbed it, but as she brought it to her ear and dead air with no dial tone greeted her, all hope vanished. She threw the phone away from her with a frustrated cry. She was trapped. She couldn't leave till her captor said she could.

She looked around for the vampire and when she didn't find him she decided to search for something to defend herself with. She found several metal knives in the kitchen but they would be next to useless. She looked for a broom, pencils, anything she could turn into an impromptu stake and came up empty handed. Even her stake from the night before that had been tossed away so carelessly was nowhere to be found.

She eventually went back to the couch and curled up in the corner, her knees pulled up protectively to her chest.

She was in the same position several hours later when she heard the door in the kitchen open and then slam shut. A blast of cold air hit her and shiver slid through her, though she didn't know if it was from the temperature or the figure that sauntered through the doorway.

"You look horrible," he said lightly, leaning against the doorframe to the living room. Her gaze remained fixed on nothing, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her attention. "I assume you haven't eaten anything?" When she still didn't answer him, his smirk faded and she was suddenly jerked to her feet.

"I asked you a question, Elena," he said darkly, his bright blue eyes fixed intently on hers.

"No," she said breathlessly.

His grip loosened slightly and he pulled her after him across the room and shoved her into the bathroom. She stumbled and fell to the floor. He threw a paper bag after her, clothes spilling out. "Get cleaned up and put those on."

"What about my clothes?" she asked in confusion.

He shrugged. "I like these better. Hurry up. If you take too long I'll have to come in and expedite the process," he said with a wicked grin and then shut the door behind him.

She stood and actually looked around the bathroom. It didn't have a shower, only a huge white cast iron tub, complete with claw feet. She shook her head, there was no way she was getting in there with a psychotic vampire just on the other side of the door.

A sudden bang on said door made her jump. "I don't here water running. Trust me, you don't want me to come help you along," his muffled voice warned darkly through the wood.

She bit her lip and reached over and turned the faucet, quickly adjusting the temperature and inserting the plug. As the tub slowly filled, she reluctantly shimmied out of her blood soaked clothes, casting nervous glances at the door the entire time.

The water felt like heaven when she finally slipped in, relaxing all her tense, aching muscles. She immediately started scrubbing all the dried blood off her skin. She felt like it was everywhere. When she leaned back to wet her hair, she let her whole body slip below the warm water. For a split second she thought about just staying under, inhaling and letting herself go, but she quickly sat up, gasping. She was a fighter and she'd fight to the end, whatever that may be.

She lay there, staring at the white ceiling and thought about the events of the last twenty-four hours. She blushed when she thought of the encounter on the couch, her heart picking up despite herself. No one had ever told her that blood exchange would be like that. Of course, maybe it wasn't. Damon had seemed a little spooked by it himself. And then there was the Council. It seemed that they hadn't told her a lot of things as well. Apparently vampires could compel people to do their will, and what was this vervain he had mentioned? It had something to do with compulsion but she wasn't sure what. And why hadn't it worked on her? Was there really something wrong with her like Damon had said?

After a few more minutes she stood and grabbed a towel off the rack next to her. She glanced down at the red tinged water and quickly stepped out, draining it. After toweling off she reached down and finally looked in the bag, horrified to only find some lacy undergarments and a thin black silk robe. She dropped it and looked at her pile of torn, bloody clothes. She really didn't want to put them back on but she sure as hell wasn't wearing that robe. She had just reached down to grab her jeans when she heard the door open. She shrieked and clutched the towel closer around her, jumping back away from him as he strode into the steamy room.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"I'm not wearing that," she said as firmly as she could.

"I didn't realize that I had given you an option."

She gritted her teeth. "I'm not wearing it."

His eyes racked over her. "Fine, stay in the towel." He reached down and grabbed her old clothes before turning and walking out again. "You better be out here in five minutes."

She started shaking as soon as he left. God, this was only just beginning. He was going to feed on her again. She shuddered, almost falling apart once more. She forced herself to focus and pulled on the panties and bra before reluctantly trading the towel for the robe. She pulled it tight around her and cinched the belt as tight as it would go before sitting on the side of the tub. She wasn't going to walk out there and offer herself up. If he really wanted her, he could come get her.

"Ah, Elena, you always have to make things difficult," he said next to her. She jumped, having not heard him enter. He grabbed her and pulled her up, looking her over. "Much better. Come on." He let her go and started heading through the house. She thought about staying where she was but then reluctantly followed him, ending in the kitchen. "Sit down." He grabbed a bag off the counter and put it on the table in front on her, pulling out carton after carton of Chinese food. She stared at it all in shock then glanced at him as he poured her a large glass of orange juice and set it down next to the food.

"Nothing else was open and I didn't know what you'd like so I got a little bit of everything." He handed her a fork. "Go ahead. Eat."

She glanced at all the food. "I'm not really—"

"Elena. Eat."

She reluctantly pulled a few of the carton's open and started looking at the contents, trying to decide on one. While she looked, she downed the orange juice and poured herself another glass, trying to quench her nagging thirst. She really was starving too, but didn't feel like eating with him staring at her. He lounged in the chair next to her, which didn't help. She settled on hot and sour soup and started to slowly eat, nervously casting glances at him.

"Do you like it?" he asked after several silent minutes.

Elena stopped and looked at him with a hint of confusion. "It's fine. Why do you care?"

He shrugged. "You have a boyfriend, people you're close to back on the Council?"

"No one that you need to worry about," she answered reluctantly.

"Oh, I wouldn't be worrying about them. How about family?"

"That's none of your business," she snapped, instantly thinking of her brother and aunt back home, the only family she had left.

"So yes then," he smirked, leaning forward, resting his head on his hand as he gazed at her. "Maybe we'll just have to get them to come up here, or pay them a visit, perhaps. Then we can really have a good time."

Her hand shot out, but he grabbed it before it could make contact, and pulled her to her feet with a low, inhuman growl. She tried to pull away, but he yanked her closer, flush with his body, and she started to shake again.

"That wasn't very nice, Elena. Why did you have to go and interrupt such a nice dinner?" Damon purred against her.

"Fuck you!"

"Hmm, later, perhaps." His hand slipped into the neck of her robe and he gently pushed it back from her neck. "Right now, I'm hungry for a little desert."

She saw his face shift for the first time as he started to move in and she started struggling wildly. When his hot breath hit her skin she panicked. "Don't!" she screamed and she felt him immediately tense and back away, his hands falling way from her. They both stared at each other in shock for a brief moment before Damon's features dissolved into an expression of pure fury.

Suddenly she was slammed into the wall, his furious face before her. "What the fuck are you?" he snarled, his fingers digging into her arms with bruising strength. "How did you do that?"

"I-I don't know what you're t-talking about," she whimpered. She really had no idea what was happening. All her terrified mind could come up with was that she had somehow stopped him from biting her. But that was impossible, wasn't it? "You're hurting me."

"Not yet," he growled and then he ripped into her throat. Pain seared through her, worse than anything she had ever imagined. She thought he had been rough the night before, but it was nothing to now. He was gnawing into her like a wild animal; she could feel her blood pouring out of her, choking her as she tried to breath.

He was suddenly gone and she slumped to the floor, her vision almost completely black, and the pain starting to fade into numbness. She continued to choke on her own blood flooding her mouth and what was left of her throat as her heart started to slow.

She was dimly aware of hands grabbing her as the life relentlessly flowed out of her. She thought she heard a voice and tried to curse him, but she couldn't move anything and then she slowly slipped away.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena awoke in a bed, the lamp on the nightstand causing her to blink rapidly as her eyes adjusted. She immediately reached up and ran her hands over her neck, somewhat surprised to find it smooth. But then it would have to be, she thought. He would have had to feed her his blood to keep her from dying, because that had been what she was about to do. She shuddered at the feeling of him ripping her throat out, drawing her blood with terrifying efficiency.

"I shouldn't have lost control like that," Damon said from a darkened corner. She stiffened and sat up slowly, her back pressed to the headboard.

"Why didn't you let me die?" she asked.

He blurred to her side, sitting on the bed right next to her. "I couldn't," he said, his voice taking on a strange quality. "And I wanted you dead so badly.  _No one_  controls me, especially not a human."

"Controls you? What are you talking about?"

He blinked and leaned back. "You really don't know?"

"Know what?" she asked, irritation starting to replace her fear.

He laughed then and she flinched away from the sound. "You really are a marvel, Elena," he chuckled as he reached out. She slapped his hand away and pulled as far away as she could.

He gazed at her intently. "You're sure they didn't tell you anything before you showed up here?"

"I already told you no," she said, meeting his gaze unflinchingly.

"That you did." He stood up quickly, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her with him. "Come on, let's go. We're going out."

Elena stumbled on weak legs, but his arm tightened, holding her up. "What do you mean, we're going out?" she asked as he gently sat her back down on the edge of the bed.

"Just get ready. Clothes are on the dresser. Make sure you look good," he said with a wink as he sauntered out of the room.

Elena let out her held breath and shook her head. It took her two tries to get to her feet, her head spinning and legs shaking still. She grabbed the clothes folded on the dresser, glad to see that the jeans were at least from her duffle. The top was something new though, black and with a neck line way more plunging than she would have picked out. She shrugged out of the robe and realized she wasn't still covered in blood, flushing at the implications.

Once she was changed, she glanced in the mirror. She was unusually pale, her dark eyes wide and staring, and her long hair wavy from sleeping on it wet. Mostly, she looked scared. She shook her head, and after pulling on her high leather boots, slowly made her way down the wooden stairs, clutching the railing to keep from collapsing.

"Huh, looks like I didn't give you enough." Damon's voice floated to her from across the room followed swiftly by him.

She stiffened as he stood in front of her looking her over, and straightened, dropping her hand from the banister. "I'm fine," she snapped, noting he had changed into a dark button down and dark jeans.

"Not quite yet." He bit into his wrist and she stumbled back frantically, tripping on the stair behind her. He caught her around the waist and pulled her up. "Come on. I'm getting tired of having to force this down your throat."

"You should stop draining me dry then," she said dryly.

His grip tightened slightly. "Drink," he said and she heard the warning behind the word.

Reluctantly she leaned forward and with a grimace latched onto his already healing wrist. She nearly gasped as it hit her tongue, having already downplayed in her mind the experience from earlier. Her body unconsciously pressed closer to him and her hand came up and grabbed his, holding it steady as she took another long draw.

He moaned slightly, his hand running up her back and fingers digging in as he pulled her closer. After another long pull of his blood he reluctantly pulled his wrist back, breaking her hold but still clutching her to him. She let out a sound of disappointment and he grinned, catching her gaze.

She immediately flushed crimson, realizing what she had done as her senses returned. She tried to look away but he reached up, running a hand caressingly over her cheek before it slipped into her hair, gripping the back of her neck, forcing her to continue to meet his blue eyes.

"Don't be ashamed, Elena. You're just acting on your basest instincts." His smile widened and his eyes turned intense as his pupils fluxed. "Now, when we are out, you will not tell anyone what you know about me or about anything that has happened to you. You won't make any mention of vampires or do anything suspicious. Do you understand?" She nodded mindlessly muttering that she understood but he frowned slightly, then smirked as if he just thought of something. "Kiss me if you understand."

Elena's body moved without her permission. She leaned in and brushed her lips across his. He responded, his mouth opening as he deepened the kiss and she responded in kind, heat spreading through her entire body. A moment later she felt the compulsion end, having carried out the command, but she hesitated a moment longer, thrilling at the feel of his lips on hers, before she pulled back, looking away as lust, anger and shame fought for top priority. She attempted to push away the rampant desire she now felt and muttered, "How the hell do you do that?"

"All part of being me, honey. Don't lie, you enjoyed it," he smirked, gazing at her for a long, heated moment before turning away and grabbing his leather jacket. "Let's go." He tossed over one of the jackets she had stashed in her duffle. He had apparently rifled through everything she had, and she rolled her eyes in irritation. Elena slowly put the coat on and followed him out into the cold.

The old Camaro was freezing when she got in, but Damon blasted the heat once they started driving and she eventually got comfortable, or as comfortable as she could with a psychotic vampire within arms reach of her.

"Where are we going?" she asked, glancing over at him.

"To visit a… well, friend isn't the right word. Let's call her someone who owes me a favor."

"What do you need to see her for?" Elena asked.

"Chatty, aren't we?" he quipped, casting her a quick look. "I need some answers," he finally responded in a more serious tone. "And since you can't seem to provide them…"

"You could always just let me go," she said, hopelessly. "Problem solved."

"Now, Elena, you know we're having way too much fun for me to do that."

"You're an asshole."

"And don't I know it."

The drive took almost an hour—an awkward, tension filled hour that grated Elena's nerves the entire time. After coming around a long bend, the ever present trees seemed to thin and a few lights appeared, twinkling out onto the road. As they got closer, Damon pulled up outside a shady looking bar with a broken, flickering neon sign that just said  _Lola's_.

Damon walked around the car and opened her door, helping her out on the icy ground. He looped an arm around her waist and ushered her towards the entrance. The door was open and she could hear the heavy beat of music drifting through.

"How about you try to have some fun?" he said in her ear, causing her to shiver, before pulling her into the noise, heat, and haze that was  _Lola's_.

Elena was surprised at how many people were crammed inside the little bar. Despite being in a rural area, apparently people still liked to have a good time and  _Lola's_  was apparently the place to do it. Damon let go of her waist and nodded for her to follow as he started weaving through the crowd towards the bar.

Elena watched him go and then turned and pushed her way into the crowd, shedding her jacket as she went. She might not be able to tell anyone what happened but that didn't mean she couldn't try to get away. She spotted a guy watching her hungrily near the edge of the crowd and made her way over to him, casting him her best come hither look. His eyes widened in surprise when she ran a hand up his chest, pressing close and pulling his head down so she could whisper in his ear.

"I need to get out of here," she purred, casting a glance behind her and seeing no sign of Damon. "Want to give me a ride?"

The guy glanced down at her, slightly hesitant. "You serious?"

"Oh yeah."

A smug smile spread across his face. "Let's go then." He put a possessive arm around her, leading her towards the side door. Elena cast one last glance around the bar, not seeing her own personal vampire from hell, before she stepped outside into the snow.

The guy's hand started to slip lower down her back and she quickly pulled away from him. "None of that till we get out of here," she scolded, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice as she followed him down the side of the building to the parking lot in the back. Her ride pulled out his keys and remotely unlocked a truck that sat a few spots away.

"Oh, E-len-a." Damon's sing-songy voice floated to her across the crisp air. Her heart started to jack hammer in her chest and she turned to see him standing behind them. He wore a small smile, but his eyes were ice cold, scaring the hell out of her.

"Who are you?" the man who was supposed to be saving her asked, coming back around the front of his truck.

"Elena didn't mention me? I'm hurt," he pouted, his gaze still fixed on her.

"I'll—I'll come back inside. Okay, Damon?"

"Is he bothering you?" Truck Guy asked, glancing at her. "Dude, you need to leave her alone. She's coming with me."

Damon was suddenly gone; the spot where he had been standing, empty. Blurred movement pulled her gaze over to where he now stood, one arm wrapped around the man, the other covering the man's mouth as he jerked his head to the side, exposing his neck. The guy's eyes were wide with fear as he thrashed wildly, helpless to break the death grip holding him.

"Damon! Don't, please!" she pleaded, stumbling back. She spotted the truck keys in the snow a few feet away before she flicked her gaze back to the vampire.

"Now, what's my incentive to  _not_  kill this bumbling idiot, hmm, Elena?"

"Someone could see you," she said quickly.

"We're the only one's back here. Try again."

"There's no reason to do this! I made a stupid mistake and I'm sorry, but you know why I did it."

Damon's brows came together in what looked like a slightly confused expression. "All I know is that you're right." His face suddenly went blank. "It was a stupid mistake."

When he latched onto the man's throat, Elena dived for the keys, scrambling around the truck, yanking the door open, and crawling into the cab before swiftly locking the door behind her.

She fumbled, trying to get the key in the ignition when a tap on the window caused her to jump, almost dropping them. She turned to see him standing next to the door, the dark veins around his eyes swiftly disappearing as he wiped the trailing blood from his mouth.

"Open the door, Elena." His muffled voice drifted in through the glass.

She ignored him and turned the key, causing the big motor to roar to life. Just as she threw the truck in gear, her window shattered. A small cry escaped her, but she slammed down on the gas and pealed out of the parking spot, throwing snow and gravel behind her as she gunned it for the road. She felt the tires skid on the ice as she took the sharp turn out of the parking lot, but at the last moment they caught and she shot forward away from the bar down the country road, trees whizzing by her and ice cold wind from the broken window whipping her hair around wildly.

She drove for several silent minutes, barely daring to breath for fear Damon would pop up in front of her. When nothing continued to happen with only the sound of the engine and the blowing icy air from the windows in her ears she let out a shuddering breath, her hands shaking uncontrollably on the steering wheel. She shut her eyes briefly at the thought of the man that had unwittingly helped her lying dead in the parking lot, his crimson blood staining the snow around him. She shook her head and forced herself to focus. She had to alert the Council. Obviously their suspicions were right. They had a bit of a vampire problem.


	4. Chapter 4

It took Elena a lot longer to get back to town than the drive to the bar had been. She hadn't been paying too much attention to where they were going during the trip and had hardly any idea of where she was. The truck didn't have any kind of GPS and she was eventually forced to stop at a gas station and ask directions, the entire time waiting for Damon to jump out and take her all over again.

By the time she arrived back in town, she was freezing from the broken window and utterly exhausted. She parked the truck on a side street and glanced down at the greasy piece of paper that the gas attendant had scribbled Marion Bradley's address on.

She pulled her jacket closer around her and knocked on the front door, glancing around nervously. She was about to knock again when the porch light came on and the door swung open slightly, revealing the sleepy looking woman Elena had met a mere day before.

"Miss Gilbert?" she asked, groggily.

"Can I come it?" Elena asked anxiously.

"What are you doing here?" Marion asked, ignoring her request. "Are you alright?"

"I—" She started to say there was a vampire after her but her throat tightened up and she couldn't. "I just—" It happened again and she made a small frustrated sound earning her an odd look. "I'm just really cold," she finished lamely.

Marion looked her over and frowned again but stepped back and let the door open a little wider. "Well, come in." Elena sighed and quickly entered the warm house, rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm up quicker. "So what brings you here in the middle of the night? I thought we had a meeting tomorrow."

"I never got to read that letter," she said grimly. "Some—things happened. I—I was in a wreck yesterday."

"Oh, are you all right? Why didn't you call?"

"I couldn't." She tried to continue and when she couldn't she ran a hand through her hair angrily. "This is so frustrating!"

Marion's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did something else happen?"

Elena opened her mouth to respond then shut it, just looking at Marion with eyes pleading with her to understand.

"Oh my God," Marion said, her eyes going wide. "You can't tell me. You've been compelled, haven't you?"

Elena just shrugged, once again unable to respond.

Marion's gaze grew distant. "So it did work…"

"What worked?" Elena asked.

"Oh…you poor thing, are you hungry? Thirsty? What do you need?"

Elena brushed off her growing suspicion. "I'm just exhausted. Sleep would be nice, with lots of blankets."

"No problem. And don't you worry about being safe. It won't be able to get in the house."

Marion set her up in a guest bedroom and excused herself, saying she needed to take care of a few things. Elena thanked her and changed into the pajamas she had been left then slipped out, looking for the bathroom. She heard Marion's voice drifting down the hallway, her own name catching her attention. She started to walk that way then stopped abruptly as she actually picked up the conversation.

"You're plan worked perfectly, Carol." Pause. "Yes, he must have found her last night. I don't know if he did or not but we should find out soon." Another pause. "Well, no… I don't… Are you sure you're willing to go that far? Okay. I'll make sure she doesn't leave. All right. Thanks, Carol."

Elena leaned against the wall, shocked. This had been some kind of sick twisted plan of the Mayor's? What had they meant to happen? She heard the phone click off and she immediately ran back to the bedroom, desperate to get out of the house. She shut the door as quietly as she could and then turned, running smack into a cold, hard body. She looked up and gasped, but a hand clamped over her mouth, pushing her back into the door.

"Shh shh," Damon breathed against her, his head cocked as if listening to something. A frown flitted across his face and he looked down at her, slowly removing his hand, warning in his eyes as a knock sounded on the door.

"Elena?" Marion's voice called.

Elena closed her eyes and forced a calming breath. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't need anything else?"

She opened her eyes and met the icy blue one's before her. "I'm fine, thanks. Just trying to fall asleep."

"Good night then. I'll see you in the morning." They both heard the key slipping into the door and the lock slamming home followed by Marion's hushed footsteps fading away.

"Did you really think you'd get away from me, Elena?" he asked quietly, leaning in, his lips ghosting over the skin of her neck.

"Just—do what you're going to do. I can't stand this anymore," she breathed.

She felt him smile against her and then pull back, meeting her dark eyes. "What is it exactly that you want me to do? I'd be happy to oblige."

She flushed crimson as several unwanted thoughts ran through her head. "How did you even get in here?" she hissed.

Damon stepped back and glanced around the dark room with a small sigh. "More to the point, how are we getting out?"

"Why would I want to go anywhere? Especially with you?"

"Because you just found out you've been betrayed by the people you thought you could trust the most. And you have some sort of spell on you. One that affects both of us."

Elena stepped away from the door, inching farther from him. "I think I'll take my chances with the Council. Better than with a psychotic murderer."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be so naïve, Elena. The Council kills, same as me. Besides, I didn't even kill Trucker Boy. "

She glared. "I saw you. And the Council kills vampires, not people."

"If memory serves, I believe you were too busy trying to save your own fine ass to see what happened to your gallant white knight."

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And really? Just vampires?" he asked, stalking closer. "You going to sing the same tune when they sacrifice you to their cause?"

She froze. "What are you talking about?"

Damon smiled coldly, stopping so close to her she could feel the heat from his body. "You didn't hear the other side of the conversation."

"What did they say?" she asked breathlessly.

His hand came up, trailing a finger down the bare skin of her arm. "You're the bait. And we all know what happens to the bait."

Elena shuddered and pulled back. "I think that depends on how the wolf is feeling." She stumbled over and sat down on the bed, staring blankly in front of her. "I'm taking my chances with the Council."

He slammed into her before she could draw another breath, pressing her back onto the bed. She saw the veins around his eyes appear for a brief moment before he got control of himself again. "What part of this conversation gave you the impression you had a choice in the matter?" he growled.

"If I scream—"

"Because bringing other people into your problems has worked oh so well." His gaze drifted over her. "You're lucky I don't go pay dear Marion a visit just to prove a point."

"But you're trying to keep a low profile. Otherwise, why make all the other attacks look like an animal did it. Are you really willing to go after a prominent member of this town's Council?"

He let out a quiet, surprised laugh. "Are you really trying to call my bluff?"

Elena swallowed, her mouth dry. The expression on his face made him look so innocent, and she had to admit to herself though she desperately didn't want to, sexy. "I am."

His eyes darkened and his lids dropped slightly. "Dangerous game you're playing." His head dipped lower and she caught her breath, acutely away of every inch of her body that was pressed against him. She kept repeating, "This is wrong," over and over in her mind like a litany, but the voice was growing quieter and quieter the closer he got. When he finally closed that last significant distance and brushed his lips across hers she was too far gone to do anything but respond.

It was night and day from when he compelled her. She was hesitant, her lips moving slowly against his, and he let her take her time. His hand caressed up her side, the other tangling in her hair. Her hands snaked under his jacket and raked up his back, enjoying the play of hard muscles under his soft shirt. She groaned as he pressed her harder into the bed, deepening the kiss, his tongue flicking over hers.

She broke off, gasping for air and he pulled up, meeting her gaze with a huge grin. She saw his pupils contract and her euphoria instantly disappeared. "Now, you're going to go to the kitchen, grab a knife, and let Ms. Bradley know exactly how disappointed you are in her."

She blinked and an instant latter the room resounded with a loud crack as she smacked him across the face, pushing him off her in the process as she stood up. "You son of a bitch!"

He lay there a moment, rubbing his cheek before he lithely stood, instantly in her face. "That is really starting to piss me off," he hissed, grabbing her arm painfully.

"If you weren't such an ass, it wouldn't be an issue," Elena snapped back, fighting to break free of his hold.

He grabbed her other fist as it came up to pummel his chest, and wretched it out to the side, causing them to bump together. He let out a frustrated breath as she continued to struggle wildly against him and she saw the veins start to crawl under his eyes, as his head dipped down, pressing into her hair.

"You're driving me insane, you know that?" he growled against her.

At that moment they heard the key rattling in the lock and hushed voices, causing them to freeze as the door swung swiftly open. Marion appeared, whispering to a tall, shadowed man following behind her. She looked up as she came around the door and froze as well, her mouth open in shock at the sight of the two of them, twisted around each other in the middle of the room.

"I knew it!" she gasped at the same time the man behind her brought his hands up, pointing something that Elena strongly suspected was a gun in their direction.

Damon was already moving, pulling her along with him. She was being tugged about so fast she almost didn't register the deafening bang or the searing pain that blossomed up her arm a millisecond later. For a long moment, all she could hear was the ringing in her ears; even her own cry of agony sounding as if it were coming through cotton.

She found herself abruptly on the floor, a heavy weight on top of her, trapping her injured arm underneath her and she screamed, unable to contain it. Frantic shouts sounded around her and then she was moving again.

The cold air hit her like a blow and she gasped as it seemed to suck the air out of her. Her arm was throbbing so badly that her vision was blacking out, though she was still very much conscious. Right when she realized she was being carried she was set down, her back against something hard and cold.

"Elena?" Damon's voice called, raw with something she couldn't place. "Come on, focus." She blinked a few times and eventually she could make out his blood smeared face. "You're shot," he said grimly.

"Captain Obvious," she muttered, her head lolling. Damon snorted and she cried out in pain as he shifted her until her back was pressed to his chest. His bloodied wrist appeared in front of her and he pushed it against her mouth. She hesitated only for a moment before latching on. Pleasant heat rushed through her, mixing with the quickly diminishing agony, and she felt the almost painful tingling in her arm as her wound knit itself back together. He pulled away a few moments later before things got any more interesting and she let out a little sigh, resisting the urge to lick her lips. Instead she reached up with her now good arm to do it and froze, staring at the completely blood stained thing before her.

She scooted away from the vampire and his arm fell away, letting her stand. "Thank you," she said, turning to look at him as he continued to sit against the tree. "Even though all of this is your fault."

"I'm pretty sure this has been a combined effort," he said dryly. He started to stand and then fell back with a groan, a hand on his chest.

"Don't tell me," she deadpanned. "You were shot too, and now you want blood." She paused. "Aren't you healing?"

"Wooden bullets, nasty little things. That one that hit your arm went through me first, sweetie." He managed to get to his feet, leaning back on the tree. He gingerly shrugged off his jacket, running a hand over the multiple holes in the leather before tossing it angrily to the side. "You know they're getting closer while you stand there gawking," he snapped. "Get over here," he said, his gaze turning intense.

Elena rolled her eyes and turned away, fully intending to storm off while offering up a silent thank you to whatever was allowing her to buck his compulsion. A split second later his bloody chest filled her vision and she stumbled back. He took a menacing step towards her and all the fear she had felt for him from the encounter in the house to the bar parking lot came rushing back to her.

She staggered away, nearly falling on the ice covered branches under her feet before he had her, his arms locked around her. When he started to lean in, she couldn't suppress the small whimper that escaped her as she closed her eyes. She felt him tense and her eyes flew open when he pulled away, one hand remaining on her newly healed but still bloody arm.

"Maybe not such a good idea," he muttered. "Not yet anyway."

"What—" she started to ask and was interrupted by him pulling her after him as he set off through the trees. "Where are we going?"

He shot her a smirk over his shoulder. "To see a witch."


	5. Chapter 5

It took them a while to get back to where Damon had parked his car. Elena's numb, bare feet caused her to move painfully slow, and her thin, borrowed pajamas were soaked through with snow and blood, providing no protection from the biting cold. When she started to shake, he reached out to help, but she lashed out so violently that he just spit a snide comment at her and didn't touch her the remainder of the trip, even after she fell several times.

When they emerged from the woods, they could see the distant red and blue flashes from the police cars rushing to Marion's house. Damon just looked grim and shot her a cryptic look, telling her to hurry up. She got to the old car a little after he did, watching as he rummaged around the trunk for who knows what. It took her shaking hands several tries, but she managed to get the door open. She started to ease in when she felt something heavy being draped over her shoulders, surprised to see a thick blanket tucked around her. She glanced up at him as he rounded the car and he just shrugged.

"This baby is vintage. Can't have you ruining the leather," he said, sliding into the driver's seat.

She was too cold to comment on the fact that he was just as filthy as she was so she just got in the car, clutching the blanket around her as she stuck her unfeeling feet as close to the heat vent as she could get them. She snuggled back into the seat, her teeth chattering, and her gaze drifted to the window and the jack frost spiraling up the glass.

The next thing she became aware of was the steady rhythm of someone carrying her. She jerked awake feeling even colder, if that was possible, and that Damon was moving her somewhere. She looked around and was shocked to see the old farmhouse from earlier. She started to struggle, but his arms just tightened around her.

"Stop," he snapped. "You're in no condition to walk right now. Let me get you warm and then you can go back to being your normal, pain in the ass self."

"I thought we were going to find a witch?" she muttered as he brought her in and set her down in a chair next to the fireplace.

"In case the cold has completely addled your brain, we kind of look like something out of a B horror film right now, which might clue in the cops the Council so kindly sicced on us."

"On you, you mean. And aren't you worried they'll show up to your house."

Damon scoffed. "This shit hole? You think this is my place? Sorry to disappoint, sweetie, but this—" he waved a hand around the room "—this is a temporary arrangement." He fixed her with a heavy stare. "And you believe what you want." He shrugged and started to walk away. "That guy back there wasn't exactly being stingy on bullets."

Elena let out a long sigh and pulled the chair closer to the low fire, clutching at the old heavy blanket. Her shivering had abated somewhat, but her feet were still ice cold with painful tingles starting to shoot through them. She bent down to rub them when the blanket was suddenly pulled away from her. She sat up in surprise as Damon reached down and grabbed her, hefting her into his arms again despite her best efforts to stop him. He carried her into the bathroom, and before she could protest, deposited her, clothes and all into the steaming bathtub.

The hot water felt scalding against her cold skin, but at the same time, unbelievably good. Her initial gasp turned into a contented sigh as she sank deeper into the water. She glanced up at Damon who was watching her with hooded eyes and she became painfully away that she wasn't wearing a bra. A quick glance down confirmed her fears; the thin, soaked shirt left practically nothing to the imagination. She crossed her arms over her chest and sank deeper into the water. "Do you mind?" she asked heatedly, flushing pink.

"Not at all," he replied with a small smile, leaning against the wall. She grabbed a shampoo bottle and threw it as hard as she could but he caught it easily. "Glad to see you're starting to feel better." He tossed the bottle into the tub, splashing her face. She sputtered, whipping the water from her eyes, and when she looked up again, he was gone.

She waited until her shivering finally went away before she got up and locked the door, ran herself some clean water, and tossed the soaked, bloody clothes before getting in again. Scrubbing off blood was starting to become a habit she really didn't want to get into.

After she was done she stood in her towel, staring at the closed door, debating her options, which weren't many. When she felt the cold starting to seep back into her she reluctantly opened the door far enough to stick her head through.

"Damon?" she called softly, clutching the damp towel closer around her. When he appeared in front of the door a long moment later she gulped, instantly regretting her decision. She didn't know if there was another bathroom in the house, but he had gotten cleaned up somewhere. His dark hair was damp and disheveled, giving him a young, fresh look, and he was dressed solely in a pair of dark pants that sat a little too low on his hips for Elena's comfort. She met his blue, blue eyes and swallowed. "I, uh, need some clothes."

His expression remained neutral but his eyes were mischievous. "I distinctly remember that last time you didn't approve of my selection."

"Can you just bring me my bag?" she asked tiredly.

"How about we agree on a trade?" When her brows rose in a question he continued. "I'll bring you your clothes and you give me something in return."

She immediately didn't like this. "What do you want?"

"I'll let you chose. Either you willingly let me feed on you or you tell me about your parent's murder."

Elena paled, stepping back, allowing the door to open slightly more. "How do you know about that?"

"I got a little bored waiting for you to show up to Marion's—took you forever, by the way—and I decided to snoop a bit. Found a very interesting file on you up in her office. I have to say, there is a lot more to Elena Gilbert than I originally thought."

"If you read the file, why do you want me to tell you what happened?"

Damon shrugged causing the muscles in his shoulders to ripple distractingly under his skin. "We'll call it curiosity for now. I'm pretty sure there's more to the story." He pushed the door open, causing her to fall back further as he stalked into the room. "So what's it gonna be?"

Elena had a death grip on her towel. "I'll just get them myself," she said, trying to walk by him. He pushed her back roughly and she barely caught herself from falling.

"Too late for that. You have to pick."

"Screw you."

His expression darkened. "Elena. Right now you're dealing with reasonable, nice Damon. Remember what happens when pissed off, angry Damon comes out to play?" He let her think about it for a moment. "I just want to have a pleasant conversation with you. Is that so bad?"

Elena's expression was almost as dark as his. "I'm not talking about that with you," she said heatedly and thrust out her wrist.

Damon stared at her in mild shock for a long drawn out moment before he reached out and took her hand in his, his thumb rubbing slowly over her pulse point sending shivers down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. He suddenly jerked her closer and her hand came up instinctively, landing on the smooth, warm skin of his broad chest and loosening the towel around her.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as he leaned in, nuzzling lightly along her jaw line and down her neck. "Relax, Elena," he breathed against her, only causing her pulse to ratchet up another notch. He chuckled softly and her thighs clenched and things low inside her started to twist in upon themselves. His lips scorched a path back up her neck and along her chin, just missing her open lips before he leaned back and met her molten gaze, his eyes blazing with just as much lust as she herself was feeling. "I'm not touching your blood till we find out what the hell the deal is with you, but I promise, when I do, I'm going to blow your freaking mind."

He pulled back abruptly and it took Elena's stunned brain a second to process that her towel was slowly slipping away. She managed to catch it a split second before it was too late, awkwardly trying to readjust it. Damon just laughed. "Deal's a deal. Don't move."

He reappeared a moment later and handed over her sweats from her duffle. "It'll be dawn in an hour or so. I'd recommend you get some sleep—you look like hell."

"Jeez, I wonder why," she muttered, but he ignored her.

"We'll leave in the morning." And then he was gone.

She let out a little breath and quickly pulled on the warm clothes before leaving the bathroom in search of somewhere to, finally, get some sleep.

She hadn't exactly known where to go so she ended up in the bedroom he had put her in the day before. She had briefly considered the couch, but after one glance at it all she could picture was him on top of her, pressed against her, and his thick blood running down her throat and she knew that wasn't an option.

She awoke to the feel of warm sunlight shining on her face through the swaying, bare branches of the tree outside the window, the light and dark patterns playing over her eyelids. A sad, bitter smile played over her mouth and she slowly opened her eyes, blinking in the bright light. She wasn't prepared for the crystal blue orbs staring back at her when her eyes finally focused on what was in front of her.

She froze like a rabbit about to make a mad dash from the fox, every muscle tense, ready to run. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"I could ask you the same thing," he whispered back.

"You told me to get some sleep."

"In my room?" he asked with a quirked brow.

She sat up abruptly. "You said this wasn't your house. You don't have a room," she argued hesitantly.

"Fine," he said stretching, making an obvious display of his tempting, half naked form, "the room I have been choosing to sleep in."

"Ugh," she groaned and bolted out of the bed, skittering to the door. "I'm just—I'm going to get ready," she said, grabbing her bag and practically running down the stairs. She got dressed in record time, pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail and scrounging up another pair of boots from her bag.

She was ready to go well before he finally appeared downstairs dressed much the same as the day before. Ten minutes later they were in the car, the pleasant morning sunlight in direct contrast to her dark mood.

"None of this makes sense," Elena finally said, breaking the silence. "I don't understand what the Council is trying to do. I'm supposed to be working for them and they're acting like I'm working with you."

"Well, you kinda are," Damon retorted.

"You aren't exactly giving me a choice."

The vampire shrugged. "There's more to it than that. They had something planned when they sent you here."

"And you think a witch is going to help us?"

"How is it that you know about witches, but you've never heard of vervain?" he asked.

"I know a witch." Her best friend Bonnie worked for the Council back in Mystic Falls. "And I still have no idea what you're talking about when you say vervain."

He glanced at her as if deciding what he should say. "Vervain's an herb that protects you from being compelled when you ingest it or have it on your body. I know for a fact the Council knows what it is. I just find it interesting that they decided you didn't need to know that pertinent information."

Elena went ashen. "Oh my God, why wouldn't they tell me something like that?" She paused, hope flickering in her eyes. "Wait. Your compulsion doesn't always work on me. Maybe they gave me some and—"

"It doesn't work that way. Trust me, you don't have any vervain. They left you high and dry to my tender mercies. The compulsion thing is something else."

Elena glanced outside. "Wait, are we going to…"

"Lola's. Yeah." They came around the familiar curve and pulled into the parking lot outside the bar, this time Damon driving around back and parking.

When Elena got out of the car, her gaze was instantly drawn to the dark stain in the snow several feet away and she quickly turned away as her stomach rolled. "The witch you know is going to be at the bar?"

"She owns it," he said pointing at the sign.

"That's… nice. Seems like an odd way for a witch to make her living."

"Actually, you'd be surprised…"

They walked in the back door, Elena glancing around curiously. The bar was as empty this morning as it had been full the night before. Booted footsteps pulled her attention away from the empty tables and she looked over to see a diminutive woman with a lion's mane of curly black hair and startling green eyes come around the bar and stop at the sight of the two of them, a none too happy look on her face.

"Lola," Damon purred seductively, his arms out in greeting as he started towards her.

He got about three steps before he let out an agonized cry and crashed to his knees, clutching his head. "Damon," she said coldly, watching as he completely collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.

"What are you doing to him?" Elena asked fearfully, stumbling back.

The back door slammed shut and Lola's gaze flicked up. "Elena Gilbert. We need to talk."


	6. Chapter 6

"Lola," Damon growled weakly, pain lacing his every word as he clawed at the floor, trying to get closer to her. "I swear… if you don't let me up…"

She looked back at him and his hands flew to his head as another cry of pain was ripped from his throat, his back arcing off the floor with it.

Panic seized Elena and she ran across the room, kneeling next to him, her hands flitting over his chest, his arm, his face, not knowing what to do. "Stop it!" she yelled, looking up at the witch with wide eyes.

Lola shrugged and Damon suddenly went still, the only sound in the room his labored breathing. His body tensed for a moment under Elena's hands and then went still again. "Damon," Elena called before looking up at the witch. "What did you do to him?"

Lola was gazing at her with an intense stare, her lips pursed slightly. She shook her head slightly and turned to walk behind the bar. "He's easier to deal with this way. Take a seat, Elena." When she didn't move, Lola glanced over at her. "He'll be fine. Now sit down."

Elena stood slowly and moved to the bar to sit on one of the hard wooden stools, her gaze flicking back over to Damon's unmoving body sprawled on the dirty floor. He wasn't unconscious. His eyes were wide open, and she could practically feel the waves of rage coming off him, making her want to sprint out of the bar and never come back. Every now and then his entire body would tense like he was still experiencing the spell from earlier but unable to move anything in response. She heard the stool scrap the floor next to her and started as Lola sat down beside her, thrusting a bottle of beer into her hand.

"Whatever you're doing to him, you need to stop," she said firmly, setting the beer back onto the counter.

Lola took a long swig out of her own bottle. "Do you really care?"

Elena frowned. "No one deserves to be tortured."

"Some people do." The witch leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she inspected the woman in front of her. "I didn't believe it, but the resemblance is uncanny," she said almost under her breath.

Elena looked at her, utterly confused. "What?"

Lola shook her curly head and sat back, lifting her bottle in a mock toast to Damon. "Kudos, Damon. I'm impressed with how quickly you've gotten her wrapped around your finger," she said sardonically before taking another drink of her beer, slipping down into her seat more comfortably and resting an arm on the bar as she looked at Elena. "The Council's after you."

"I don't know why. We were coming here to try and get some answers." She glanced at Damon again, meeting his blazing eyes and then quickly away, not knowing what to do. "Obviously that was a mistake."

"Not really. No one else will be able to tell you anything." She leaned forward suddenly. "Give me your hand."

"What? Why?" Elena asked suspiciously, pulling back.

Lola ignored her and flashed forward, gripping her wrist in her cold hand. Her whole body went rigid and her eyes snapped shut. Elena ripped her hand back, jumping off of the stool and stumbling back. "What the hell was that?"

"You didn't do it," she said mysteriously, looking up, her eyes wide. She slumped back onto her stool, her gaze far away.

"I haven't done anything! Tell me what's going on or let us go!" she shouted, finally fed up with everything.

Lola sighed, looking slightly more contrite than before. "The Council isn't too witch friendly up here, but a few of the members are regulars and like me so they keep me informed. You," she grabbed her bottle and tipped it at Elena, "are the hot topic of discussion."

"Why?" Elena said through gritted teeth.

Lola's chuckle was deep and sultry. "The word is the Council down in Mystic Falls has an interest in getting their hands on this one." She nodded at Damon. "They heard about our troubles up here and told the town Council that they were sending someone. My contact was a little vague on the details surrounding you. All I got was that for some reason or another, they put a spell on you as a kind of insurance policy. It sounded like some pretty heavy shit. You know any good witches down there in Virginia?"

Elena paled slightly but didn't respond. There was no way Bonnie betrayed her. There couldn't be. "What does it do?" she asked in a soft voice.

Lola shrugged. "You'd have to ask the witch whose spell it is to get the details, but it didn't sound like it was to protect you. Something strong enough to mess with a vampire and his powers—I'd guess it was a blood spell of some kind. That brand of stuff has all kinds of nasty side effects though. But that wouldn't really matter much if they didn't care if you made it or not."

"What are you saying? That they didn't care if I died? Why would they do that?"

The witch shrugged nonchalantly. "Your town drama, not mine. For the record, I think you really are innocent of a lot of things and deserve the truth. Unfortunately, I don't have all of it to give."

Elena swallowed hard, still trying to process everything she had heard. "So what now? Can you get rid of the spell?"

Lola finished her beer, set the bottle on the bar. "Nope. Probably wouldn't even if I could, to be honest. You're tied to Damon and I refuse to give him an easy out. Now, we're going to sit here and wait till some members of the Council show up to deal with you."

"What?" Elena shouted, talking another step back.

"Yeah. Called them when I saw you pull in. Sorry, Elena. They figured you'd come here to talk to me. Offered me a fair bit of cash to help them out, too. That and Damon pissed me off."

A scraping sound brought their attention to Damon who was furiously trying to make his body do anything. He twitched several times, a low growl emanating from his throat. Lola slipped from the stool and knelt next to him so he could see her. "This is what you get for treating me like shit, Damon. You're a bigger idiot than I thought if you believed I'd welcome you back with open arms. I hope I get to watch them stake your ass right here."

Elena remained staring at the empty stool, her mind in an uproar. What had Damon said back at Marion's? That she was bait? And now this woman was telling her that the Council had knowingly placed a spell on her to bind her to a murderous vampire, regardless of the possible consequences. And all for what reason? She had no idea. She had no idea what she had done to warrant such a punishment. Why her? The more she learned, the more horrified she was at the actions of her supposed friends. Her choices were quickly disintegrating from bad to worse. She could stay here and wait for the Council members to come, people that thought she was working willingly with a vampire, that had shot her, and possibly been a party to this entire plan from the beginning. Or she could run…with a crazy vampire that had just as much vested interest in breaking this spell as she did. And he  _had_  saved her life…

She gave a small groan and turned, looking around frantically as Lola remained crouched on the floor. Not finding anything better, she grabbed the biggest whiskey bottle within reach. Just as Lola started to stand and turn, Elena swung with all her might, catching her on the side of the head and sending her immediately to the ground.

Damon groaned and after several attempts, struggled to his feet, one hand on his head as he fell into a chair, catching himself at the last second. "That fucking bitch," he snarled as he turned, stumbling towards Lola's prone body. "She is so dead."

Elena jumped in front of him just before he reached her. "Don't Damon. We need to get out of here."

He shoved her out of the way and grabbed Lola, lifting her up like a rag doll before slapping her none to gently across the face and slamming her back into the bar. The witch's eyes fluttered as she moaned. "If I feel the slightest twinge of anything, I'm ripping your heart out," he snarled. "I  _know_  you know more about this spell, so spill or… what I just said."

Lola grimaced. "I told her the truth. They barely told me anything."

"But you saw something when you touched her." His hand moved to start tracing small patterns over her sternum.

"Damon!" Elena cried, running up next to him and grabbing his arm. "You don't need to do this! They could be here any minute."

He glanced over at her hand on his arm then up at her face briefly before fixing his icy gaze on the witch. "My patience isn't my best virtue…" he said liltingly.

Lola glared up at him. "She didn't do it, but I'm sure you know who did."

Something flitted across his face that Elena couldn't quite catch. "What about the spell?"

"I know you've had her blood. That's what triggers the spell. I didn't pick up too many details, but it's meant to make you easier to control." Lola grinned smugly. "I have to say, I admire the witch that put it together."

Damon made a low sound deep in his throat and threw her from him, tossing her across the room where she crashed into a table, shattering it. He then turned to Elena and she fell back at the dangerous, blazing look in his eyes.

A gurgling, weak laugh drew both their attentions back over to Lola. A broken, jagged piece of wood was protruding from her lower body like she had landed on it. Elena gasped and started forward to help, but an arm slipped around her waist, holding her back. Damon's grip on her tightened painfully before it completely slipped away. He walked around her toward the witch and she was just about to jump after him when he stopped, looking up, out the window. A long, fluid stream of swear words escaped him before he turned abruptly and stalked for the door, grabbing Elena's arm and pulling her after him.

"Daaaamon." Lola called, drawing out his name. He didn't stop. "One more little thing. Don't kill her. It will literally drive you insane."

He slowed slightly, throwing a quick glance at Elena before his expression went blank and he threw the door open, dragging her back out into the almost blindingly bright parking lot.

A moment later they were pulling away from Lola's bar, speeding down the road in the opposite direction they had come from. For a long period they sat in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Elena glanced back. "Why are you in such a hurry now?"

He just looked at her for a long moment causing her to shift uncomfortably. "Sirens," he muttered as he turned back to the road. Elena glanced behind them again and then settled down into her seat. "So where are we going? This isn't the way back to town."

He made a frustrated noise and slammed on the brakes. Elena's hands flew forward, bracing herself on the dashboard as he swung the car off the road and onto a narrow dirt turn off, pulling in far enough so they couldn't be seen from the road before he stopped, killing the engine.

She turned, her mouth open to comment on his driving skills, and took in his expression, the retort dying in her throat. His hands were still clutching the steering wheel, and she could see the whites of his eyes darkening slightly as the veins started to twist under his eyes. She scrambled back, fumbling for the door handle before finding it and throwing herself out of the car, landing in the snow bank right next to the car before she could get her balance.

Hands grabbed her and she was slammed back into a tree, drawing a gasp of pain. "D-Damon? What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly as he just continued to stand there, staring at her darkly as he pinned her to the tree trunk.

"I'm deciding if I want to kill you," he said in a matter of fact voice, as if deciding what type of peanut butter to buy at the store.

Elena's heart instantly shot into panic mode, trying to beat its way out of her chest. "But Lola said—"

"You think I trust that bitch? No, she said what she thought would keep you safe, not necessarily the truth." His hand ran up from her arm, slipping inside the collar of her jacket to caress her neck. "This could all end so easily."

Elena shuddered. "Or you could lose your mind."

Damon's gaze came up to meet hers. "If it wasn't your life on the line, you wouldn't think twice about it."

"No one deserves that," she said fiercely. "No one."

"Some do," he responded softly, echoing Lola's words from earlier. His other hand came up and he cupped her face, his thumb ghosting over her lower lip. "Why don't you hate me? I've done horrible things to you."

"I don't know," she breathed, "but I don't." A calmness settled over her as the truth of those words hit her. "We can get through this together, Damon. We can help each other."

"Why?" She could hear the longing in his voice and it nearly broke her heart.

"Because we don't have anyone else to turn to." She let her head fall forward to rest against his. "We need to try and trust one another."

His blue eyes searched her warm brown ones, more open than she had ever seen them before, and then he was gone. She slumped against the tree, feeling bereft of something she couldn't put a name to.

"What are you waiting for? Get in the car," he said from where he was standing next to the driver's side door.

She looked over at him, saw the cold, emotionless mask back in place and sighed, pushing away from the tree. "Where are we going now?"

"Mystic Falls."


	7. Chapter 7

They had been driving for hours.

Elena awoke, not remembering exactly when she had fallen asleep. She was curled up in her seat sideways, her knees tucked up to her chest with her back pressed to the door. She straightened with a small groan, her entire body feeling stiff. "Where are we?" she asked in a hoarse voice, glancing outside to see the same scenery she thought they were leaving behind, trees and snow.

Damon glanced at her briefly. "West Virginia, I think."

"Oh," she said, stretching out her cramped muscles. She glanced over at his quiet figure, noting his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. "Do you want to stop for a break?" she asked hesitantly. "We've been driving for quite a while."

"No, Elena. I want to get to Mystic Falls and deal with whatever the hell is going on with us."

She shifted in her seat slightly. "Well, I wouldn't mind stopping."

He looked over at her with an incredulous expression. "I stopped two hours ago to get gas. It's not my fault you were passed out."

"I'll ignore that comment," she snapped, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "I haven't really had anything to each in almost two days. The three bites of soup I had yesterday don't count. We can spare half an hour to get food."

He shot her a glance, looking her up and down before he finally shrugged. "If it'll shut you up, fine."

Elena shook her head and slumped back in the seat, watching the sun start to sink below the rolling hills as Damon took the next exit, getting off onto a narrow road and following the signs for food. He pulled into a small diner looking restaurant with only one other car in the parking lot.

She quickly got out of the car, making a contented sound as she stretched to her full height, arms above her head. She looked up to find Damon watching her from the back of the car and flushed slightly, straightening her jacket before walking by him into the small, quaint establishment and sliding into a booth, shucking off her jacket. He followed a moment latter, the bell on the door ringing cheerfully. When he sat down across from her and just continued to stare, those entirely too blue eyes boring into her, she quickly grabbed a menu and buried her nose in it, her sweater starting to feel a bit stifling in the warm air.

"What can I get for ya?" a pleasant voice asked from beside her. She dropped the menu and looked up at the girl standing beside the table, her gaze surprisingly not on Damon, but on the pad and pencil held in her hands. Elena guessed she couldn't be much older than sixteen and from the looks of it, a little shy.

"Hi," Elena said, forcing as much cheer into her voice as she could muster. "I'll have a coffee," she started, glancing back down at her menu, "an order of the French toast, and two eggs, over easy with rye toast, please… oh, and some of the corn beef hash, that sounds good. Thanks." She looked up and her smile slipped slightly when she saw both of them staring at her. "…Is that all right?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, that's fine," the girl said, smiling back before turning to look at Damon. "And you?"

He turned from Elena and leaned forward slightly, meeting her gaze. Her whole body seemed to relax slightly and she lowered the scratch pad to the table. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Jeanie," she said in a small voice.

"All right, Jeanie, this is what you're going to do—"

"Damon, what are you doing?" Elena asked anxiously, rapidly looking between the two.

"I want you to tell me if you have any booze in the back. Anything the cook's hiding in his car, anything; I'm not exactly picky right now."

Jeanie shook her head slowly. "No. We don't serve alcohol here and Frank's been stone sober for over a year now."

Damon slumped back in his seat. "Of course he is. Go get her food and bring me a coffee, on the house, and send Frank home when he's done making the food. You're closing early tonight."

She blinked. "I'll just go get your food," she said and flitted away.

"Did you just compel her? For alcohol of all things?" Elena asked angrily.

Damon shrugged. "It's been entirely too long since I've had a drink," he said, his tone giving the statement and entirely different meaning.

Elena paled, glancing back over at the door leading to the kitchen. "No way. She's just a kid! You can't be serious!"

"Oh, relax, Elena. Enjoy your food and we'll get out of this dive."

She sat back warily, still on edge, her appetite basically gone. Their coffee and her food came out a little while later, and as she picked at the eggs, the cook, Frank, strolled out, toting his bag. "You folks have a good night," he said with a nod. "Hey, Jeanie!" he yelled as he started out the door and she stuck her head out from the kitchen. "If Jack doesn't show up again, you give me a call and I'll come back and give you a ride." She waved him a thank you and disappeared into the kitchen again. A moment later they heard his car start up outside and the lights quickly pulled away.

Elena dropped her fork, pushing the plate away, and fiddled with her coffee cup. Damon suddenly stood and she jumped, startled, before scrambling out of the booth herself. "Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom," he replied evenly.

"You think I believe you?"

His eyes narrowed slightly and he stepped closer to her, his jacket brushing her stomach. "Weren't you the one preaching trust just a little while ago?"

Elena let out a small breath at the reminder of the scene in the woods. "I said we need to trust each other, not necessarily that I do."

His brows rose in an expectant expression. "One of us needs to take the first step here."

Elena searched his gaze, wanting to believe him, but she couldn't, not when someone else's life was on the line. "I know you're not going to the bathroom."

His expression darkened instantly, and he advanced on her, backing her into the side of the booth. "And what if I'm not? There's nothing you can do to stop me from doing whatever I want to little Jeanie back there."

"Damon—"

"Hey, you two all right? You need anything?" Jeanie's voice interrupted. They both looked over to see her standing hesitantly a few booths down, her expression confused.

Damon smirked and took a step back from Elena, his gaze fixed on the girl. Elena panicked, reaching out and grabbing his jacket, pulling him closer. "You can take it from me, just—just leave her along," she nearly pleaded, refusing to let him go.

Damon looked back at her, his eyes turning heated. He held her gaze for a long moment, long enough for her to instantly regret what she offered before he turned back to the waitress. "Go home, Jeanie, you're walking tonight. And close up on your way out."

"Good night," she said airily as she walked by them, killing the overhead lights and shutting the door tightly behind her as she left.

The only light remaining was the small, warm glow emanating from the small lamps on each of the tables, but it was enough for Elena to make out the smug smirk plastered on Damon's face. Anger flared inside of her as understanding hit her like a bag of rocks. "You totally planned this, didn't you!" she yelled, slamming both hands into his chest, trying to push him back. He grabbed her wrists, holding them in place and twisted them around. The air left her lungs with a whoosh when her back slammed down onto the nearby table, the lamp, salt and pepper shakers, and sugar container scattering, crashing to the floor.

"It's not my fault you can be so predictable, Elena," he said, settling on top of her, her hands still trapped to his chest. "And I believe we have a deal in place."

She swallowed at the reminder. "And this is the place you choose to make good on it?"

He shrugged slightly. "Who knows what we're going to find when we get to Mystic Falls. Why? Would you prefer some place else?"

Her vision suddenly swam. She closed her eyes, trying to get her bearings, and she suddenly found herself back in the bathtub at the farmhouse, the steaming hot water caressing her naked skin.

She shot straight up in the water, her vision swimming again momentarily to the point where she almost thought she saw the glow from the diner table lamps before it solidified again and she was surrounded by the white bathroom. An arm slipped around her, grazing the underside of her breasts, and pulled her back into a warm, solid, hard body.

"Damon?" she asked breathily as his lips grazed over her skin, sending tingles through her entire body as he started kissing a heated trail up from her shoulder.

"Shh," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver against him as he ran a hand slowly up her side, a finger lightly sliding along the sensitive skin of her trembling breast. "Just enjoy yourself," he breathed, his teeth grazing her earlobe. She gasped as he took all of her in his hand, cupping her aching breast as his thumb stroked her hard, tingling nipple. His other hand slid across her stomach before dipping down, teasingly moving to the inside of her thigh, pulling her legs farther apart, sloshing water around the tub.

She reached back, her hand tangling in his wet hair and pulling him closer as she rubbed her ass up his hard length. He groaned into the crook of her neck, pulling her even closer, her head falling back onto his shoulder just as his fingers found her center, stilling as they settled on what she wanted them to touch most.

Her hips bucked slightly and he chuckled softly in her ear. "Damon!" she groaned, barely capable of thinking of more than the one thing she needed at that moment.

"Remember this, Elena," he whispered. She nodded mutely, almost about to beg when he started to move, mercilessly teasing her clit.

"Oh, god…Damon!" she gasped, his finger slipping into her, followed by another. He slowly started thrusting in and out, his thumb playing her aching bud, hitting all the right places. He started moving faster until her breath was turning into pants and small noises started to escape her as she flew closer and closer to the edge.

She felt his hot breath on her neck and the smile on his lips moments before his fangs sank into her. She couldn't stop the scream as she lost control of her body, unbelievable pleasure shooting through her as she clenched down on his long, driving fingers, her hand turning to a fist in his hair as wave after wave of mind numbing pleasure consumed her.

She let out a shuddering sigh and felt him pull away from her throat, his forehead falling against her. "Fuck, Elena," he said somewhat breathlessly. "Just wait till we get to do this for real."

"What?" she asked lazily, turning to look at him, savoring the feel on his wet skin on hers.

"Nothing," he said, his hand tangling in her hair and pulling her to him, his lips searing her as his tongue and hers caressed and tangled together. She met him head on, wanting nothing more than to breath him in, feeling the crazy wave of desire flash through her all over again.

She shifted in the water, moving to straddle him as his hands gripped her ass, pulling her against him. Her hand started to trail down his glistening torso when her vision flickered and reality hit her hard. She fell back, blinking and suddenly she sat bolt upright, almost hitting her head on the ceiling of the car she was now sitting in.

"Ahhh, we were getting to the best part," Damon pouted from the driver's seat.

She ran a hand through her hair, looking around in confusion at the lights whizzing by the moving car. "What the hell? How did we—" She started freaking out a little as images started to replay in her mind, almost able to feel his touch on her again and she became aware of just how turned on and wet she actually was.

"Relax. It was all in your mind, unfortunately," Damon said in a low voice, his gaze flicking over her with a hungry glint in his eye.

"Did you—" She reached up, running her hand over her neck to feel the two tiny puncture marks, before she turned, glaring at him.

He shrugged. "You did offer, and from the sounds you were making it wasn't like you didn't enjoy it."

"Damn it, Damon! I didn't know what the hell I was doing!" she yelled, her cheeks flushed.

He chuckled. "Doesn't mean it's not going to keep you up at night."

"God, you're impossible. Stay the hell out of my head."

"If you say so." He sighed. "I knew that tub wouldn't go to waste."

"Ugh," she muttered. "What is wrong with you? Stop talking about it."

"Oh, sure. I'll let you think about it some more. And if you want to pick up where we left off, I'm more than happy to—"

She threw her jacket at him and slumped back in the seat, her legs clenched together and arms tight across her chest as she glanced at the clock before staring out the window.

Three more hours to Mystic Falls. It was going to be a long trip.


	8. Chapter 8

Elena could barely keep her eyes open by the time she saw the sign welcoming them to Mystic Falls. As they zoomed by the sign tucked into the trees on the side of the road she sat up straighter, stifling a yawn.

"Wait, where are we going? You missed the turn," she said when they passed the road that led downtown.

"Why? You offering up your house?"

She paled, thinking of Jeremy, Jenna, and Damon in the same house together. "No. I'm just curious where we're going."

"We're going to my house," he said smoothly.

Elena frowned. "You have a house? Why would you have a house in Mystic Falls?" He turned off the road down a gravel path and Elena's frown deepened. "This is the Salvatore boarding house. Why…"

"Did I not mention?" he asked, stopping the car and killing the engine. "It's Damon Salvatore," He smirked and slipped out of the vehicle, Elena scrambling after him.

"You're from Mystic Falls, and you never said anything!" She glanced at the big house. "You're… related to Zach?"

"Related is such a strong word. Zach's more of a... dedicated housekeeper. Sounds so much better. Come on." He strolled over to the front door, looking around in an almost comic manner before he stood straight, holding up a key triumphantly. "Oh, Zach. Almost too predictable."

Elena hesitated before following him into the big, dark house, still trying to process exactly what it meant that Damon Salvatore was from her little hometown. There was still so much she didn't know about all of this. "But Zach's on the Council," she called after him, slowly stepping across the threshold, hoping she wasn't going to run into anything in the darkness. "How would he be okay with you just stopping by his place?"

"Zach and I aren't exactly best buds," he said in her ear, causing her to jump, backing into a table and sending something that sounded expensive crashing to the floor. "But he knows better than to piss me off, so he keeps his mouth shut." She saw his dark figure saunter closer. "In any case, I made sure he was out of the way for a week or so before we got here. Thought we could use some alone time." She felt his light touch through her jacket and jerked back, farther into the house.

"You should let me go home. I can go to the Council in the morning, try and talk to them—"

"No." She was suddenly pressed against him, his arm tight around her waist. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until we figure out what the hell is going on. We'll go see that witch friend of yours tomorrow." She felt his nose graze her jaw, breathing her in, and suppressed the shiver that wanted to ripple through her. "Until then…" His lips suddenly claimed hers and she couldn't help the moan that escaped her or how her body pressed harder into him.

A second later her mind managed to catch up and she pulled away, gasping. "No, Damon," she said breathlessly, pushing at his chest, trying to put some space between them.

A low growl escaped him and he roughly pulled her closer. "If that damn spell hadn't interrupted and pushed me out of your head in the car, you'd be singing an entirely different tune right now."

"Damon…"

"Fine," he muttered, letting her go. "Anticipation makes everything better," he said, his voice low.

She turned away, clenching her hands into fists to hide the shaking. "I'm tired."

He walked past her into the house, flipping on a light finally, illuminating the hallway leading to a staircase to her left. "Bedrooms are upstairs. And don't try anything stupid, like leaving."

She watched him disappear into another room and let out a held breath. Being around him was becoming entirely too difficult. She shuffled up the stairs, glancing in a few rooms before she finally found one with a decent looking bed. She unceremoniously threw off her jacket and boots before grabbing the blanket at the end of the bed and beating the dust off the comforter. Once she was satisfied she wasn't going to suffer death by dust bunny she laid down, curling up under the old blanket. A moment of panic hit her at the thought of Damon subjecting her to another dream, but the fatigue was too much and a moment later she was fast asleep.

Elena's eyes snapped open and a small shriek escaped her as she jumped, nearly falling off the bed. Damon's hand shot out and caught her, keeping her balanced on the edge a moment before pulling her back across the mattress.

She knocked his hand away and sat up. "What the hell are you doing in here?" His brow quirked, waiting for her to figure it out on her own. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," she groaned, darting off the bed. "This is your room?"

"Guilty," he said, sitting up. He was suddenly in front of her and she fell back a step, startled. "So who exactly is this witch you know?"

"I don't think she's the one that did this to me," Elena replied reluctantly.

He crossed his arms, glaring at her. "Spill."

She sighed. "Bonnie Bennett. I went through high school with her. There's no way she would do something like this to me."

"Bennett, " Damon hissed, looking away, a hand running through his hair. "Of course she is." He brushed by her, heading out of the room. "Hurry up and get ready."

It took Elena a while to find a bathroom with soap, shampoo, and towels that she was comfortable using, but once she did, she quickly got ready, throwing her same clothes back on and heading downstairs to meet Damon. In the light of day she took her time admiring the impressive house, surprised by the sheer amount of odds and ends she saw everywhere. She entered the huge main sitting room, finding Damon slouched in an armchair, a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

"Really?" she asked. "It's eight in the morning."

He downed the remainder of the glass and set it aside, lithely getting to his feet. "It was either Zach's top shelf bourbon or you. Speaking of…" he said as he came to stand in front of her. His blue gaze dropped to her throat. "We should probably do something about that. I'm sure Witchy isn't going to appreciate just exactly how… close, we've gotten."

Elena's hand clamped to the bite on her neck, flushing. "By do something, you mean drink your blood again."

"Unless you know another way to heal yourself in the next five minutes."

Elena's hand fell to her side. "If I drink your blood, you have to let me talk to her first, alone. You being there isn't going to help anyone."

Damon's eyes narrowed slightly. "Once again, I wasn't aware I was giving you an option."

"Trust me, Damon. Please. Let me talk to Bonnie alone."

He continued to stare at her for several long, tense moments. "I'll give you ten minutes. Don't make me regret it."

"Thank you," she said sincerely, reaching out and gripping his hand. He frowned down at the contact before gently pulling away, bringing his wrist up as his face transformed and opening his own vein.

Elena met his darkened gaze, surprised to see how the twisting veins and the blood red whites of his eyes made the blue even more startling. Her hand rose almost of its own accord, brushing her fingertips along his cheek, along the skin under his eye before running down over the slight stubble of his jaw. She turned to his proffered wrist as she took it in her other hand, her heart pounding in her ears as she stepped closer, bringing it up. She hesitated a moment, staring at the thin trail of blood running over his pale skin, knowing she had to do this; trust went both ways. She leaned forward, running her tongue up his wrist before latching onto the wound, drawing in a hot, heady mouthful.

She heard Damon's breath catch and his hand clenched into a fist, sending another surge of blood over her eager tongue. She made a small, desperate noise, clutching him tighter and she felt his other hand trail over her hip and across her stomach before pulling her into him. She pressed closer, the feel of him hard against her causing even more heat to pool between her trembling thighs. His head fell against her shoulder, inching its way up the long line of her neck until she felt the scrape of sharp teeth against her skin. She was so lost in the moment, so desperate for more of him, her own head tipped slightly, allowing him better access.

He suddenly wretched his wrist back, her grip unable to hold him. Her breath came in ragged gasps as her tongue unconsciously darted out, licking her lips. "I don't understand this," she said softly, barely audible, feeling as if she had lost something she had been on the verge of obtaining.

He slowly pulled back, his touch slipping away. "Grab your jacket, Elena," he said, his voice rough.

She sighed, closing her eyes briefly before doing what he said and following him back out into the cold. He stood next the car with his door open, watching her approach, his face a careful mask. She met his icy gaze briefly, still feeling the tingling heat of his blood inside her before looking away, everything within her churning in turmoil. She had so many conflicting emotions rolling around she didn't even know how to begin to sort them out. She took a deep breath as she reached the Camaro, pausing for a moment as she tried to center herself before she slipped in. Damon remained standing where he was, unmoving, for several more drawn out moments before he too finally got in, not looking at her as he started the car and pulled away from the boarding house.

They drove in silence except for Elena's short, brief directions on how to get to Bonnie's house, going slightly out of her way to avoid driving past her home. She had him stop a little down the street, parking on the side of the road. She started to get out, but he reached over, grabbing her arm, stopping her.

"Ten minutes," he said, and she could hear the warning in his voice.

"I know. Relax, Damon." She sent him a small, tight smile and got out of the car, approaching the quaint little house, spotting only Bonnie's car in the driveway. She climbed the steps to the porch and knocked, stepping back to wait as her stomach decided to start doing nervous flips.

The door jerked open a few moments later revealing Bonnie, still dressed in her pajama bottoms and a camis, looking a little sleepy but with a goofy grin lighting up her face. "Elena? When did you get back?" she pulled her into a hug and Elena immediately felt her go stiff, jerking back. "What happened to you?"

"Bonnie," she said in relief, "it's so good to see you, you have no idea. It's a long story. Can I come in?"

"No," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Bonnie?" Elena asked in confusion.

"When I touched you, I got a really bad vibe, Elena, almost like… like a vampire, but not. What's going on?"

"I want to tell you, but I don't really want to do it freezing on your porch. Just let me in," she said in exasperation, glancing down the street.

"If I invite you in, I'm pretty sure I'll invite something else in as well."

Elena paled slightly. "Did you cast a spell on me?" she blurted out.

Bonnie frowned. "What? No, why would you ask that?"

"Because someone did before I went up to Pennsylvania. It's been…" her voice broke slightly as all the emotions she'd been trying to suppress for the last few days suddenly tried to surface. "…it's been bad, Bonnie. I'm so confused."

Bonnie's hard exterior fell and she stepped forward immediately, wrapping her arms around her. "Hey, it's going to be all right. We'll figure it out."

The kindness in Bonnie's voice was too much and Elena closed her eyes, all of it hitting her like a blow, drawing out a small, shuddering sob. She shook her head slightly as the pooling tears slipped down her cheeks. "You don't understand. I don't know what to do."

"Elena?" a voice asked behind her and she jerked away from Bonnie, turning to find Damon standing on the steps.

"Who are you?" Bonnie asked warily.

"You all right, Elena?" he asked, his blue eyes intently fixed on her as if Bonnie didn't exist.

She quickly wiped the moisture from her face and schooled her expression, nodding. "I'm fine. I thought you said you'd wait."

He shrugged and his gaze shifted to the witch, any glimmer of concern Elena thought she might have seen on his face gone as he stalked up the remainder of the steps. Cold fear for her friend gripped her and she stepped in front of him, as if her hand on his chest could really restrain him. "Damon, just give me a minute to explain—"

"Damon?" Bonnie's shaking voice interrupted. "Damon Salvatore?" Her gaze shot to Elena. "What the hell are you doing with him? Didn't they let you know what happened?"

"Bonnie, what—" She started to take a step towards her, but Damon's arm snaked around her chest and neck, gripping her shoulder as he pulled her back almost possessively.

"I'm warning you, let her go," Bonnie hissed.

"Really? Are you going to invite her in the house to get away from me? You know I'll be right behind her if you do, courtesy of this lovely little spell. Now, how do you know me?"

Bonnie cast an uncertain look at Elena who nodded. "Tell him what you know," she said softly, pulling at Damon's arm.

Bonnie shifted on her feet, taking a small step back towards the door to her house. "I don't know why they didn't tell you, Elena. I heard at a Council meeting a few weeks ago." She swallowed, her gaze flicking back to Damon. "His brother killed your parents."


	9. Chapter 9

Elena's legs buckled and only Damon's quick arm around her waist kept her from hitting the porch. Anger and pain flared up inside her and she twisted in his grasp, striking out at whatever part of him she could reach. "Let me go!" she yelled trying to free herself as he speedily trapped her arms and clapped a hand over her mouth, locking her against him.

"Stop it," he hissed in her ear, shaking her slightly. She struggled until his grip turned painful before going quiet in his arms.

"How do you know Stefan was involved?" he asked, suppressed rage dripping from his voice as he turned his attention to Bonnie.

She stood glaring at him, her chin up in an attempt to make her appear more confident, but Elena could tell she was scared. She didn't blame her. "I'm not answering anything until you let her go."

"Hey Elena," he said in a false, cheery voice, still looking at Bonnie, "want to tell witchy here how much vampire blood you have in your system?" He cocked his head mockingly as if waiting for an answer. Elena tried to yell something against his hand and he shrugged. "I'm pretty sure she said 'a lot'. All it takes is a little snap…" His grin slipped and his eyes turned glacial. "What do you know about my brother?"

Bonnie was pale. "Just what the Council said, that he was responsible for Elena's parents. They mentioned you being involved but didn't go into details. I have no reason to believe they were lying, especially now."

Elena started struggling again and a small sigh escaped him. "Keep it up and I'm knocking your ass out." She reluctantly stopped moving again, breathing heavily on his hand still clamped over her mouth.

"Listen, witch. You're going to find out exactly how to get rid of this spell on her while not letting your precious Council know we're in town. Got it?"

Bonnie flipped her hair over her shoulder, glaring daggers at him. "And why wouldn't I go straight to them and come hunt your ass down?"

Elena could hear the bitter smirk in his voice. "Because they already tried to kill us once. You really want them to try again?"

Bonnie's eyes went wide. "You're lying."

"Nope, but you believe what you want. It's only your friend's life on the line." He started to pull Elena back down the porch steps with him.

"If you hurt her—"

"Yeah, I know, fire and agony and the seven circles of hell wait for me. Got it. See you around, Bonnie. You better come up with something good."

The world blurred and Elena suddenly found herself next to the car, Damon yanking the door open. "Get in," he snapped, his gaze distant.

"No. How could you—"

"This is not the time to fuck with me. Get in the damn car."

Elena's dark eyes narrowed. "No."

"Fine," he growled and scooped her up, causing her to let out a small shriek. He walked around the car, popping the trunk and dumping her in unceremoniously. She started to sit up but he pushed her down. "Shut up and cool off," he said coldly, slamming the lid shut.

"Damon!" Elena screamed, pounding against the cold metal. She heard the engine start and kicked the trunk door in frustration. "Are you really leaving me in here?" There was no response as they started bouncing along and she swore silently in disbelief, curling up and waiting for them to get to where they were going.

Thoughts swirled in her head as they went. How was Damon involved with her parent's murder, if at all? Who was his brother and why would he do such a thing? Could she trust anything Damon said at this point? She had no answers and as much as she kept telling herself she didn't trust Damon in the slightest, she couldn't suppress the raw feeling of betrayal gnawing at her heart.

She felt the car jolt to a stop a short time later. When the trunk opened, she shot up, hoping to catch him off guard, but he caught her swinging fists, using them to drag her out and set her on her feet. He didn't say a word, just turned and stalked off back to the house, disappearing inside.

She only hesitated a moment before following him. She needed answers. "Damon!" she yelled, heading to the sitting room. She found him standing in front of the dying fire he had started before they left, his back to her.

"Leave me alone, Elena," he said in a low voice.

"Did you help your brother kill my parents?" she asked in as demanding a tone as she could muster from where she stopped behind him.

"Stefan didn't do this."

"Are you saying that you did?" She couldn't help the accusation in her voice or the sliver of fear.

He spun on her, causing her to fall back. "No," he snarled and brushed by her, grabbing the glass tumbler off the end table and heading for the drink cart.

"If you're saying you weren't involved then how do you know your brother didn't do it?"

"Because Stefan is dead!" he yelled, turning and throwing the glass into the fireplace, shattering it and sending glass shards everywhere. Elena jumped and stumbled back, shocked as he advanced on her.

"Damon, I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't know," she forced out as her back hit the bookcase behind her and she had to stop her retreat.

He was abruptly inches away, his face a broken mask of fury, pain, and a flicker of guilt and Elena was suddenly struck with the thought that he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. "No, you didn't," he said, a hard edge on his voice. "You don't know anything."

"Then tell me, Damon! I said I'm sorry and I mean it. I can't even imagine… if my brother—" She abruptly stopped, realizing where she had been about to go.

He frowned slightly, his brow furrowing as he fought for control. "What are you sorry for, Elena? Are you actually sorry another vampire is dead, or are you sorry you didn't keep your mouth shut and pissed me off?"

She opened her mouth to respond and then stopped, thinking. She was sorry she had brought up obviously painful memories for him, even if he was fighting not to show it, but that wasn't why she was so upset. She thought he had betrayed her. That implied there was something to betray. She blinked, looking up at him with wide, molten eyes. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions." She reached up a hesitant hand and touched his cheek lightly. "You deserve better than that."

He smacked her hand away, falling back a step. "You fucking amaze me, you know that?" He shook his head, taking another step away. "Just go."

Anger flared up in her again and she stepped closer. "Why can't you just let me in, once? I know you're not all bad. I've seen the way you look at me sometimes. I trust you, Damon, as impossible as that sounds after all that's happened between us, and I do care what happens to you at the end of all this. Why the hell can't you just accept that?"

He slammed her back into the shelf, books falling around them. "Because eventually you'll come to your senses and realize what a fucked up mistake you've made. I'm a goddamn vampire, Elena. I do bad things. You're so young and innocent and full of fire. You're lucky I haven't crushed you yet. I've come damn close."

Elena shook her head, her eyes blazing with determination. She reached up, her hand slipping into his hair and she pulled him down, pressing her lips to his. He froze for a split second before wrenching back. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Proving a point," she growled, pulling him back to her. She didn't care about the consequences or if it was wrong. She wanted him. She wanted to fix what she knew was broken but couldn't quite get to yet. She didn't understand her feelings and maybe Damon was right, maybe she was making a mistake, but as she felt his arm finally slip around her waist and crush her against him, she didn't care. They were in this together, whatever the hell  _this_  was and it felt bigger than both of them.

He made a noise low in his throat and his hands clutched at the hem of her shirt as his tongue demanded access to hers, deepening the kiss and imbuing it with a sense of desperation that almost frightened her. She inhaled the scent of him all around her, savoring his taste as her hands slipped down to the buttons of his shirt. He moaned and her body jerked roughly as he ripped her shirt up the middle, peeling it off her and throwing it behind him. His touch roamed over her bare skin and her shaking hands started popping buttons, desperate to do the same. He started fingering the waistband of her jeans, his touch catching her skin on fire before he had them undone and pushed down to her knees as she struggled to get out of her boots. She only managed to get one off and one leg out of her pants before he grabbed her and pulled her up, wrapping her legs around him and slamming her back into the wall before fumbling with his own buckle and zipper. She reached down to help with one hand, the other dipping in and pulling him free, stroking his hard length and earning a long moan. He reached around her, quickly freeing her of her bra, his head dropping down to draw her nipple fully into his warm, eager mouth, his tongue flicking over the hardened peak.

She clutched at his back, breathing hard, and pressed closer, rubbing his tip over her, coating him in her juices until all she could think about was him inside her, moving to position him at her wet, slick entrance. She moved her hips, desperate for him to fill her but he grabbed her, holding her still. His mouth came up and claimed hers again and she could feel his grin as he suddenly slammed into her, causing her to gasp followed by a small, desperate moan. She bucked her hips, clawing at him, wanting him to move. He made a low, guttural noise, driving into her with just as much urgency and desperation as she felt, every thrust battering her back into the shelf, one hand gripping her ass, holding her steady as the other massaged her breast before slipping down between them and stroking her throbbing clit, stealing her breath and increasing her moans to a fever pitch.

"Oh, fuck," she cried, her heels digging into his ass as he pummeled her. Her head fell back, pleasure bowling over her as she pulled him to her throat. "Do it," she panted, "I trust you."

He pulled back slightly, meeting her eyes as he reached down, grabbing her and rotating her hips slightly. She cried out as he hit an entirely different spot inside her and his head dipped down. He licked his way up between her heaving breasts, stopping over her pulse point. She felt the brief sting a second before the scream ripped its way out of her throat as she came so hard she thought she was going to pass out. Her tight walls clenched around him and he pulled back, his gasping cry muffled against her as she pulled him along with her, his thrusts turning sporadic before they both slid to the floor, panting and half naked, covered in sweat.

"Holy shit, Elena" he groaned, sprawled on the floor, Elena laid out on his heaving chest.

"That was…" she breathed, still trying to form a coherent thought with him still fully inside of her, every little movement sending aftershocks rippling through her.

He reached up with both hands, brushing her hair back and cupping her face. "Fucking amazing."

"That's one way of putting it," she said, looking into his open, searching eyes, terrified by the realization of how easily she could break him, of what would happen to her if she did, because she knew there was a very good chance she'd shatter right along with him.

"Hey," he said, his thumb tracing her cheekbone, and his brow furrowing slightly at her expression. "Cheer up. I just rocked your world."

She laughed slightly, her hands running appreciatively over the hard planes of his chest. "I believe the term is mind blowing," she teased, shifting slightly causing him to groan, his head falling back onto the floor. She grinned and slowly rolled off him, landing on her back on the cold floor, her hand still tracing small patterns on his arm. "Those were the only clothes I had," she sighed, kicking off her remaining boot and pushing her jeans down and off with her other foot.

"We need to stop by your house anyways. You can grab some then," Damon replied, his head turning to look at her.

She stiffened, sitting up abruptly, not meeting his gaze. "Damon, no."

He went still next to her, and cold fear crept back into her heart. "So I guess this trust thing you've been preaching only extends to us fucking?"

Elena flinched and turned, instantly realizing her mistake. "That's not what I meant."

His gaze roamed over her bare breasts as he stood, pulling his jeans up in the same motion. "Guess you didn't prove your point after all."

"Damn it, Damon!" she said, scrambling to her feet, fighting the feeling that she had just destroyed any progress she might have made. She crossed her arms across her breasts as she stood in front of him completely naked. "I'm worried about my family. Surely you can understand that. I trust you around me, but other people are an entirely different story."

His gaze narrowed as he looked at her, his eyes dark. He reached over and grabbed an afghan off the chair, throwing it at her. "I need to know about your parent's murder and since you don't seem very inclined to tell me…" Elena bit her lip, glancing away as she wrapped the blanket around her. She had locked away the memories and didn't want to drag them out, especially knowing how they would taint the experience she just had.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "What a surprise. I'll either get the story from you or find out what your brother knows."

Elena jerked at the mention of Jeremy, wondering how Damon had found out. "If I tell you, will you tell me what happened with Stefan?" she asked softly.

"Why? That has nothing to do with what's happening…" His voice faded away, his expression turning even darker as silence settled over him and he went utterly still.

"What is it?" Elena asked, his reaction frightening her.

"There's no way…" he muttered.

"Damon, what's going on? What is it?"

He finally moved, meeting her gaze, his hands clenched into fists, and she fell back a step at the look of pure hatred on his face. "I think I know who did this."


	10. Chapter 10

_Elena knew something was wrong as soon as she shut the door behind her. The lamp on the stand next to the door was in scattered pieces and as she stepped farther into the house, she saw the long smear of blood down the wall. She became aware of an odd sound coming from the living room and her heart started to pound as she ran towards it, cold dread gripping her every fiber._

_She came around the corner and fell as her feet tangled up in something. She hit the wood hard, wincing as pain laced up her arms, but turned to see what she had tripped on. Her mouth opened in horror. "No, no, no," she cried as she scrambled across the floor, grabbing her father's arm, desperate to wake him up until her eyes fell on the torn, gaping hole in his throat and the staring, blank eyes._

" _Dad?" she whimpered brokenly, clutching his bloodstained shirt. She heard the sound again and spun, searching the dim room until she saw another sight that froze her blood. She crawled across the floor to her mother's side, grabbing her clutching hand and holding it close as she surveyed the damage._

_Miranda's eyes were wide with terror, her other hand clasped to the vicious, bleeding bite on her neck, dark blood oozing between her fingers. When her gaze landed on Elena her body tensed and she tried to say something, blood gurgling in her throat instead, as she weakly pulled her hand from her daughter's gasp, flailing for something on the floor at her side. Elena's gaze wandered down and the bile rose in her throat as she saw the bloody stomach wound, almost like someone had punched through her._

" _It's—it's okay, M—mom. I'll get some help. Just hold on," she said, tears coursing down her cheeks as she pressed a hand to the horrible wound, looking around helplessly. Miranda suddenly grabbed her shirt with a shaking, bloody hand, pulling at it feebly. Elena looked back, noting the all-consuming fear in her mother's eyes as well as some other emotion that she couldn't quite place._

_She heard running feet and looked up to see Sheriff Forbes come around the corner, her face going pale at the sight that met her. "Oh my god," she breathed, gripping her gun with white knuckles._

_Elena turned back to her mother as the hand on her shirt gave a small tug. "What is it, Mom? Who…who did this?"_

_Miranda's hand fell from her shirt before she raised her hand, running a finger over Elena's tear stained cheek, leaving a warm trail of blood behind. She opened her mouth to answer, blood popping on her lips before she finally mustered the breath to speak._

" _You…"_

* * *

Elena clutched her knees closer to her chest as she sat on the couch, still wrapped in the holey afghan. "I don't know who called the cops, how they got there so fast. My mom… my mom died on the way to the hospital. I still don't know what she meant…" She glanced up at where Damon sat perched on the arm of the nearby chair, her eyes haunted by the memories. "Do you really think this is all connected somehow? Do you know who did this?"

Damon remained quiet for a long moment, staring at nothing in particular, before he stood slowly. "I have something to show you. Stay here," he said in a quiet, controlled voice as he turned and left the room.

Elena watched him go, pulling the blanket closer around her naked form. She angrily wiped at a stray tear that slid down her cheek and huddled farther back into the big couch. A few minutes later Damon came back into the room, a new black t-shirt on, as he sat down on the coffee table across from her, twirling something in his hands.

"You're probably not going to take this well," he said, holding it out to her.

She reluctantly leaned forward, taking it. Turning it over, she realized it was a tintype and frowned, bringing it closer, staring in confusion. "What is this?" she asked in a small voice. "This looks like me."

"That," Damon answered, steel in his voice, "is Katherine Pierce."

"But I don't understand," she said, looking up. "She looks exactly like me. How is that possible?"

He shrugged. "Freaky, isn't it? She turned me and my brother into vampires back in the day. It was a whole ordeal."

Elena straightened, letting her legs slip back down to the floor. "She's a vampire?" she asked, her voice rising. "Oh my god, you think she's the one that killed my parents? They thought it was me…" She gasped, the thought of anyone thinking she was capable of doing that to her own parents making her sick. Her breath started coming too fast and she put a hand over her racing heart, her chest heaving and dizziness threatening.

Damon shifted uncomfortably, watching her with a small frown. "My, uh, typical response to hysterics is to snap a neck or two, so you need to calm down. You're okay."

"It's not okay," she gasped, trying to get a grip on herself. Her hand moved to her mouth, trying to suppress the sob that threatened to come out.

Damon sighed and moved next to her, pulling her into the tight circle of his arms. "Shh, it's all right. Just calm down."

"How could she think I did something like that?" she whimpered.

"She was probably just trying to tell you that whoever did it looked like you. Or maybe something completely unrelated. You'll never know, Elena. You need to stop worrying about it."

"I don't know…" She said, wiping away more tears. "Wait. If Katherine turned you, does that mean you two were, uh…?" When he didn't respond, she stiffened in his grasp for a moment before trying to pull away. "So I've just been some type of sick replacement this entire time?"

Damon's hold on her tightened almost painfully. "At first, maybe. I was intrigued when I first saw you; decided I'd have a little fun with Katherine's look-a-like while sticking it to the Council, but you're so…human…" He trailed off for a moment. "You're not a raging, manipulative bitch like she is," he finally said, a trace of anger back in his voice.

"Did she…did she kill your brother?" she asked softly, her gasping breaths and her racing heart finally starting to slow down.

Damon gave a short, bitter laugh. "No."

"How do we look exactly alike?"

She felt him shrug against her. "I have no idea," he muttered as he abruptly let her go and stood up. "That file I read at Marion's implicated you in your parent's murder. It looked like they didn't really have any proof, but I still don't know why they didn't confront you about it, let alone let you start working for them." He muttered something under his breath. "This has Katherine written all over it. It's her style to not get her hands dirty, but I don't know why… or how this fits in with Stefan, or why they put a spell on you to begin with." He paced away, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Bonnie will come up with something," Elena said quietly.

He made a noncommittal noise, turning back to her. "I need to get out of this house for a while," he muttered, coming towards her.

She frowned, standing. "We can't go anywhere. Someone could recognize one of us."

He stopped a few feet away his eyes raking over her and she pulled the blanket closer, painfully aware of the quarter sized holes revealing slips of skin all over her body. "We'll figure something out," he said in a low voice. "Unless you want to stay here?" he asked, his brow quirking suggestively.

Her eyes flicked over to the bookshelf and her torn, scattered cloths. She could still feel the heat of his lips on her cool skin, how his hands gripped her thighs as he…

She shook her head, taking a step back from him. She wasn't ready to go there again. "Going out doesn't sound so bad," she said in a husky voice.

He grinned slightly. "You should probably shower. You smelling like sex does nothing for my self control."

She flushed and turned away, going to grab what was left of her clothes. His arm slipped around her and pulled her back, his fingers slipping through the blanket, searing her skin. Her heart immediately started pounding and her breath hitched as she felt his breath lightly tickle her ear.

"I love how you get like this every time I touch you," he breathed and then suddenly was gone, a moment later appearing in front of her, holding out her clothes.

She let out a shuddering breath and awkwardly snatched the bundle from him, trying not to flash him even though he could practically see everything anyway. "Get over yourself, Damon," she snapped, turning and heading upstairs, forcing herself not to run.

A while later she stood in the shower under the hot pulse of the water, mulling over everything she had heard, trying to come to grips with having a psychotic vampire twin, or what must have been going through her parents minds right before they died.

And she thought of Damon.

She leaned forward, resting her head against the cold tiles. A thousand ways to try to express herself and she decided she needed to grab him and rip his clothes off. "Smooth Elena, cause things aren't complicated enough," she muttered, letting out a long sigh.

She took her time getting ready, managing to find an acceptable t-shirt to wear in one of the rooms, though it was so big she had to knot the bottom at her waist. She went downstairs and saw Damon sitting in one of the chairs, a book open in his lap. When he saw her he snapped it shut and set it aside, coming over to meet her.

"Let's go," he grinned, throwing an arm over her shoulders that she skirted away from, rolling her eyes.

"Where are we going?" she asked once they were in the car.

"A little bar a couple towns over. Should be sufficient for our little break from reality."

She glanced over at him with a mock expression of concern. "Great, another bar. Should I be worried about another vindictive witch?"

"Hopefully not," he shot back.

"Damon, what about—"

"Nope," he interrupted, holding up a hand. "You're not allowed to even mention anything that's going on. We're having fun tonight, Elena. You can continue freaking out tomorrow."

Elena stared at him in disbelief. "How can you possibly expect me to enjoy myself with all this going on?"

He smiled mischievously. "Two options really: I can compel you, which may or may not work, or you can get drunk. You're choice."

She shook her head, looking back out the windshield. "And what about you? You're going to have a good time despite all this?"

He shot a glance over at her. "That would be why we're going in the first place. I am the master of denial, Elena, don't worry."

They pulled up to a bar on the outskirts of a little town even smaller than Mystic Falls and considerably dingier. The parking lot was relatively full and Elena could hear the music as soon as she got out of the car. She glanced over at Damon as he approached her and couldn't stop from thinking of the disastrous trip to Lola's.

"Just don't hurt anyone tonight," she said as he slipped an arm around her and started pulling her for the door.

He just shrugged and then they were inside. It was just as full as Elena thought it was going to be, but most people were on the dance floor so they had a relatively straight shot to the bar.

Damon ordered a bourbon and Elena got the same, shrugging when he glanced at her curiously. "I hate when you compel me so I guess I'm going with option number two."

"Good girl," he said turning back to the tumbler just placed in front of him.

Elena grabbed hers, glaring at the amber liquid with foreboding before taking a deep breath and downing it like a shot. She slammed the glass back down, pushing it away and coughing as a shudder ran through her entire body.

"Christ, Elena," Damon said, patting her on the back. "In a bit of a rush?"

"How the hell do you drink that stuff?" she wheezed, trying to clear the taste from her mouth as she finally stood straight.

Damon finished his drink off and stood. "You do realize that was like three shots."

Elena knew alright. On her empty stomach she was already starting to feel it. "Yeah," she said, grabbing the bar to steady herself. He just laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards dance floor.

The music was loud. She could feel the beat in her chest as Damon pulled her into his chest till she was molded to him. She let one of her legs slip between his and worked her hands under his jacket, running them over his hard abs before gliding around to his back, clutching his shirt and pulling him closer.

Damon moaned as she started moving slowly with the music, one hand gripping her hip, the other running along her back, his fingers slipping into the waistband of her jeans, causing her to shiver.

She let her head fall back, hair dangling, grinning like an idiot as she stared up into this blue eyes. "You're not so bad, when you want to be. Why aren't you like this all the time?"

Damon's grin slipped slightly before he caught it, his head dipping closer so she could feel his breath on her lips. His hand ran up her side under her jacket, his thumb grazing the side of her breast. "You are a lightweight," he said softly, his eyes locked with hers, amusement covering something else she desperately wanted to see.

She nodded, letting her head tip back invitingly, lips slightly parted, the alcohol coursing through her and so hot for him she was about two seconds away from dragging him into a dark corner and damn the consequences.

"Elena?" a voice asked behind her.

Her entire body when stiff and she jerked away from Damon, spinning to stare in shock at the person before her. "Jeremy?" she asked, trying to get her brain to focus. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What are  _you_  doing here?" he shot back, his gaze flicking back to Damon, frowning slightly. "I thought you said you had to go deal with some town business tonight?"

"No, I— I just got back to town," she said, scrambling to try and cover herself and protect him from getting more involved.

"I know," he said, looking at her like she was losing it. "I talked to you this morning, remember? I'm just surprised you lied to get out of having dinner with Jenna." He shot another disapproving look at Damon. "Who's this?"

Elena frowned, her muddled brain trying to catch up. "Wait, what?" And then it clicked. "Oh my god, Damon!" she spun, terror gripping her.

"Yeah, I know," he said, his expression grim. "We need to leave."


	11. Chapter 11

Damon grabbed her wrist, dragging her across the dance floor towards the door, but she twisted out of his grip turning back to her brother.

"You need to come with me now, Jeremy. I'll try to explain in the car."

"What's going on, Elena?" he asked warily as Damon appeared at her side again, grabbing her elbow roughly.

"We don't have time for family drama," he hissed.

"Hey, buddy, you mind? I'm talking to my sister," Jeremy snapped.

Damon took a step towards him, but Elena jumped between the two, struggling to focus through the alcohol. "Let's just go, okay," she said in a calming voice. "Come on, Jeremy."

Her brother reluctantly looked back at her. "I came with Vicki. I can't just leave her here by herself. I'll just see you at home."

"Jeremy, no—"

Damon suddenly had hold of him, forcing him to meet his gaze. "You're coming with us," he said simply before Elena could pull him away.

"I'm coming with you," Jeremy repeated dully.

"What the hell! Did you compel him?" she practically screamed, shoving Damon hard in the chest, managing to not move him at all.

"I told you we don't have time for this shit," he snapped turning towards the door just in time to see two police officers walk in, scanning the crowd. "Damn it," he growled, grabbing her arm again and hauling her back into the crowd, heading for the back of the bar, Jeremy following quietly along.

The music grew unbearably loud as they got closer to the speakers near the DJ, the crowd undulating around them, jostling them back and forth. Someone slammed roughly into her, and she fell, unable to catch herself in her half drunken state, her hand slipping out of Damon's grasp. She looked up through the press of bodies, spotting him as he turned, looking for her. Someone blocked her view for a moment and then she saw him crumple, barely catching himself on his knees, his eyes wide and face contorted in pain.

"Damon!" she yelled, struggling to get back on her feet as she saw the man that had run into her grab him and start pulling him towards the door.

Jeremy was by her side, helping her to her feet. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, concern plain in his voice.

"Jeremy, they took him outside!" she said, pulling away and struggling towards the exit. She hit the door with her shoulder, bursting out into the freezing cold air, a surprised cry flying out of her when two bodies bowled by her, slamming into the side of the building and sending her to the ground.

She watched Damon rip into the man's throat as he fumbled for something in his pocket, beating at the vampire with his other fist. The man's hand came up and before she could call out a warning, drove the syringe into Damon's back. The vampire's whole body went ridged, and as he started to slump, he grabbed the man's head and twisted, snapping his neck with a sickening crunch.

Jeremy burst out through the door, skidding to a halt and taking in the sight before him. "Oh my god," he said, stumbling back a step.

Elena stared at the dead body in horror, his neck bent at an odd angle and blood starting to pool underneath him and she felt her stomach heave. She forced her gaze away, instead letting it fall on Damon who was weakly trying to push himself away from the slowly expanding puddle of blood. She'd seen him do some horrible things, been on the receiving end multiple times, but she hadn't actually seen him kill anyone. Until now.

"You need to get out of here," he wheezed, falling back onto the ground. "I'll be fine…just…" She saw him struggle to move once more before he went still.

"Damon?" she said softly, starting to slowly move towards him, but Jeremy jerked her up, pulling her away. "What the fuck is going on, Elena?" he demanded, casting a wide-eyed glance at the two bodies a few feet away.

"It's complicated, Jeremy, but I swear I'll tell you everything I know. Right now, though, we have to get out of here." She pulled out of his grasp and stumbled over, falling to her knees next to Damon's unconscious form.

"You've got to be kidding me, Elena. Leave him for the cops and let's go!"

She looked up at her brother, desperation in her eyes, as she grabbed Damon's arm, working to prop him up. "Please, Jeremy…"

He frowned, clearly struggling with himself, before he let out a loud sigh and came forward, grabbing Damon's other arm and helping her bring him around the building. They saw the police car, but it seemed both officers were inside, so they hurried to the Camaro, easing Damon into the back seat. Elena rooted through his pockets and grabbed the keys, throwing them to Jeremy before jumping in the passenger side. Jeremy got in and a few seconds later they were quickly racing down the road back towards Mystic Falls.

"Elena," Jeremy said, glancing at her from the driver's seat.

"God, I don't even know where to start," she said, glancing back at Damon's unmoving form.

"How about from the beginning?" he supplied.

"I don't even know where or when that is," she replied back. "You probably won't even believe half of what I tell you."

"Try me."

She sighed, biting her lip, she didn't want him any more involved than he already was but she couldn't lie to him. She took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. "I know this sounds crazy, but… vampires are real."

At the end of the almost hour drive she had told him most of what had happened and what she'd learned on her trip to Pennsylvania, glossing over a lot of what had transpired with her and Damon, not even sure if she  _could_  explain a lot of it. Jeremy sat stunned in the seat next to her, staring out the windshield, trying to process as they pulled up outside their house.

"So the you that came home this morning, wasn't really you?" he asked, turning to look at her. "She's some crazy vampire look a like?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I haven't actually seen her." She shifted in the seat, turning to face him. "Listen, Jeremy. She can get in the house. I don't know what she's trying to do, but it's not safe for you and Jenna. You need to go somewhere else to stay till all this is over."

"What about you?" he asked.

She glanced back at Damon sprawled in the backseat, unmoving, worry seeping through her. "We still have to sort out this whole spell thing, and convince the Council that I didn't have anything to do with Mom and Dad's murder." She shuddered and Jeremy gripped her arm supportively. "We're stuck together until this is over," she said with a sad smile.

"I guess we can go stay over at Ric's," he said. "I'll go talk to Bonnie in the morning. See if we can figure out what's going on."

"Thanks. And I'll call you if I need to see you, so if I just pop up…"

"Yeah, it's not you, got it." He turned and popped open the door, getting out and leaving the door open so she could get in. She came around the car, slipped in, and started to shut the door, but he grabbed it, leaning down to look at her. "Hey, I don't know what's up with you and him," he said, nodding towards the back seat, "but, just be careful, okay, 'Lena?"

She nodded. "You too."

He nodded, giving her one last concerned look before closing the door and heading for the house. Elena sighed, turning around and grabbing Damon's shoulder, shaking him slightly. "Damon?" she said softly. He said he'd be all right, but the fact that he hadn't said anything or moved since they got in the car was really starting to freak her out, and not knowing anything she could do to help him did nothing for her fraying nerves. She turned back around, gripping the steering wheel tightly for a long moment, before pulling away and heading for the boarding house.

As she rounded the turn, slowing down to pull in the driveway she saw the flashing red and blue lights through the bare trees and swore, punching the gas again. Apparently the police at the bar hadn't been a coincidence after all. Somehow, the Council had been alerted to them being back in town. She continued down the dark road, wracking her brain for a place to stay before she finally settled on the bed and breakfast outside of town.

She pulled into the little gravel parking lot a few minutes later and jumped out of the car, pulling open the backdoor and leaning in over her unconscious vampire. "Damon," she breathed, looking him over. "Why won't you wake up?" she muttered, as she rummaged through his pockets again, looking for a wallet or money, anything she could use to get a room, only to come up empty handed. As she started to pull back she paused, her gaze resting on her wrist as an idea popped into her head. She looked around for anything she could use to cut herself and came up empty again. She thought she heard him groan, drawing her attention away from the problem at hand, and leaned in farther, propping herself over him to get a better look at his pale face.

She felt him move, but before she could feel any sort of relief, their positions were suddenly reversed. His body pressed heavily into hers as his hand clenched in her hair, yanking her head roughly to the side. "Damon, no!" she screamed as he swooped down on her, eyes darkened ominously, and sank his fangs into her milky skin.

She gasped from the pain, beating at him frantically as she felt the hot rivulets of blood run down her neck. "Damon, please, stop…" she whimpered, her body twisting under him.

He suddenly pulled back, his eyes wide as he looked down at her and then gone as he bolted out of the car. Elena let out a shuddering gasp, afraid to move for a long moment before she brought her hand up, pressing it to the wound. He was abruptly back over her and she jumped, immediately trying to push him away, but he grabbed her wrists, pinning them out of the way with one hand.

"Shit, Elena. I didn't mean…" His free hand ghosted over her throat, dipping into her hair to cradle her head. "The vervain had me half out of my mind, and when I came to and felt someone on top of me…" He frowned and she could see the genuine regret in blue eyes as they searched her face. "Elena, I'm sorry." She gave a small nod and he let go of her hands, bringing his wrist up to his mouth. "Here—"

"No," she said, grabbing his arm. "I'm—I'm all right. Just give me a minute."

He nodded, slipping away. She sat up, dizziness sweeping over her for a moment as she steadied herself. She pushed herself to her feet, stumbling and catching herself on the door, holding out a hand to stop him from helping her. She took several deep breaths, holding onto the car door for support. "I thought you said vervain prevented compulsion?" she said, glancing up at him.

"It does, but it's like a poison to us, too." He looked over at the bed and breakfast. "What are we doing here, Elena?"

"The police were at your house and we needed a place to stay. Did you know that man?"

He shrugged. "No. Probably just someone Katherine had her claws in. I don't know what kind of game she's playing but she's playing dirty."

"You killed him."

He cocked his head, taking a small step towards her. "He attacked me. Who knows what he had planned for you."

"You didn't need to kill him, though," she said in a small voice.

"To be honest, Elena, I didn't even think about it. It was a knee jerk reaction. He was a threat to both of us. He needed to die." His voice was hard.

Elena's brow furrowed and she took a step away from the car, her knee buckling under her. Damon blurred forward, scooping her up in his arms before she could protest. "Let's get you inside," he said, heading towards the house. He carried her up the porch steps and gingerly set her on her feet, a supportive arm around her waist as he knocked.

"No compulsion, Damon," Elena said sternly, swaying slightly.

"You have any money on you?" he asked lightly, turning to her and pulling her jacket collar up and tight around her neck, hiding the still bleeding bite mark from view.

She pursed her lips, shaking her head. "Just… just don't over do it."

A little old lady answered the door, smiling widely when she saw them, and ushering them into the house. She led them to the desk across from the door and Damon started talking with her, telling her what they needed. Elena's attention started to drift and her eyes landed on the telephone. "Do you mind if I make a call?" she asked the woman.

"Not at all, dear, go ahead," she said warmly.

Elena grabbed the old rotary, spinning in Jeremy's number and waiting. On the fourth ring he finally picked up. "Yeah?"

"Jer, it's me. Did you and Jenna get to Ric's okay?"

"Elena, thank god, I had no idea how to get a hold of you."

Her blood went cold at the frantic edge to his voice. "What happened, Jer?"

"It's Bonnie. I'm at the hospital right now. You…you should probably get here as soon as you can."

"Jer, what happened to her?" she asked, gripping the edge of the desk for support.

There was some kind of noise in the background. "Sorry, Elena, I gotta go. I'll see you soon," he said hurriedly and the line went dead.

She dropped the phone back onto the rack numbly, her vision swimming. She looked up, barely able to focus on Damon's vivid eyes staring at her, a small frown on his face.

And then she was falling.


	12. Chapter 12

"Elena!"

Someone was calling her and she didn't want to wake up. She felt a hand smooth over her hair, gently stroke her cheek, and she sighed, opening her eyes, blinking a few times before focusing on two blue blue eyes staring back at her.

"Damon?" she asked in confusion before memory rushed back to her. She glanced around, realizing she was still in the entranceway of the house, the old woman nowhere to be seen. "We need to go to the hospital."

"What? Why?" Damon asked, helping her sit up.

"Something happened to Bonnie. Jeremy said I need to get there fast." She tried to stand and her head swam, causing her to fall back.

"Easy there, speedy. You're a little out of it."

"Damon, this isn't funny! We need to go."

"And what do you think's going to happen when we get there? We're going to run into someone on the Council and then what?"

Elena glared at him. "She's my friend. This isn't an option."

He growled something under his breath and slipped his arms under her, standing easily. She gasped, her arms going around his neck. "What are you doing? Where are we going?"

"You can't very well show up like this, can you?" he asked, taking her down the hall and into a room on the other side of the house, dropping her on the king bed in the middle of the dimly lit room.

"What—?"

"Mrs. Flowers gave us a room for the night. Turns out we're the only ones here," he said with a smirk, slipping out of his jacket and throwing it on a chair. He came over, crawling up onto the bed beside her. "Come here," he said, easing the collar of her jacket down and looking at the wound on her neck.

Elena hesitated a moment before sliding her own jacket off and relaxing under the touch of his fingers. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier," she said softly, looking away. "You were just protecting yourself… and me. It's just, seeing that again… it's hard."

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't be you if you didn't get pissed at me for every little thing." His hand slipped down her neck, a finger slipping under the collar of her shirt to run lightly along her collarbone, sending shivers over her entire body.

"Damon, we need to get to the hospital," she said, more to reminder herself than anything.

"See what I mean?" His head dipped down, his tongue flicking over the thin trail of blood on her neck from the mark he left earlier.

Her hand gripped the comforter and she shuddered. "I'm serious."

"Oh, I know." He pulled back and met her dark eyes. "But this is going to happen one way or another before we can leave. Might as well enjoy it."

Her brow furrowed slightly and he just grinned as he grabbed her, crushing her lips to his. His tongue dipped into her mouth and the taste of blood, his blood, flooded her senses. She groaned and pulled him closer, wanting more than just the taste he was giving her. He chuckled and pulled back, looking at her throat. "Look at that, all healed."

"Don't you dare," she growled, pulling him back to her, kissing him like he was air and she was drowning, and maybe she was.

He shifted, settling on top of her as he pushed her back into the pile of decorative pillows, grabbing her jacket from under them and chucking it out of the way. Her legs slipped around him as he tugged at the hem of her shirt, his hand attempting to untie the knot she had there. A moment later he broke the searing kiss and looked down. "What the hell did you do to this thing?" he said, his breath ragged.

Elena grinned and leaned forward, biting him hard on the neck, breaking skin and sucking in a hot mouthful of blood. He groaned, his weight falling on her, and she felt him grow even harder against her, his hand abandoning the knot and gripping her side with almost bruising strength. She took one last hard pull and fell back, blood dripping down her chin, and watched his skin close back up, aware of the slick wetness pooling between her thighs and the new energy pounding through her veins.

His hands came up and he grabbed her face, his forehead falling against hers, both breathing in each other's air. "Careful, Elena," he panted, shaking slightly from the control he was exerting over himself. "All I want to do right now is bite and fuck you senseless, and if you do something like that again, I promise we're not leaving this bed for at least a week."

"Maybe when this is over," she suggested breathlessly, running her hands up his arms.

His eyes darkened, his gaze blazing with need as his hands slid, fisting in her hair and pulling her impossibly closer, his lips brushing over hers. "Christ, where did you come from?"

"Apparently the same place you did."

A low noise escaped him and he captured her lips again, small, desperate sounds coming from both of them. His hand slid down, palming her breast, teasing her through the fabric and her legs tightened around him, grinding his hard length against her aching center. Elena's hand had just started pulling up his shirt when a knock on the door caused them both to freeze.

"I have those clothes you wanted for Miss Elena," Mrs. Flower's scratchy voice said through the door.

Elena looked up at Damon with a mixture of confusion and frustration and he groaned, his grip on her tightening. "I'm going to kill her," he muttered.

"Damon!"

"It's a joke," he shot back, rolling off her reluctantly and heading for the door, cracking it open and taking the bundle, saying a few unintelligible words to the old woman before shutting it again. Damon shot her a dirty look as she sat up, sliding off the bed, but just handed her the clothes.

"What is this?" she asked, bringing it over to the dresser to look at it closer in the light, forcing down her raging desire to just jump him.

"She has a granddaughter or something she was droning on about so I told her to grab something for you to wear. You weren't exactly excited about wearing Zach's shirt earlier."

"Thanks," she said, grabbing a blouse that she thought looked like it would fit her and heading for the bathroom. Damon stepped in her path, blocking her and she looked up at him. "What?"

"Need some help?" he asked, brows waggling suggestively.

She swallowed, more than tempted, but shook her head. "I'd like to actually get to the hospital tonight."

"Tease," he shot after her as she shut the door behind her, playing with the knot on the tee for a long minute, a small smile on her face, before pulling it off and slipping into the other one.

She splashed some cold water on her face, taking a deep breath before coming back out into the bedroom to see Damon pulling on his jacket and turning to her. "You feeling up to this?" he asked, holding out her own coat.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better, thanks. Let's go."

The hospital was on the opposite side of town and it took them a solid half an hour before they saw it looming before them. Damon pulled into the expansive parking lot, stopping in a spot fairly far away from the building. "I don't like this," he said in a low voice, staring at the emergency room entrance.

"Damon, we have to go. Bonnie's in there."

He frowned. "I know. Just, follow me. We'll go in the back, see if we can avoid a lot of attention."

They went around the large building, Damon forcing a door on the side, getting them in past the crowds and police at the main entrance. Elena hurried to the first desk she saw, waiting for one of the nurses.

"Can I help you?" one asked in a slightly harried voice.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Bonnie Bennett. I was told she was here."

The woman nodded, typing away at her computer. She scanned over something and then looked up. "Sorry, we don't have anyone admitted under that name."

Elena shook her head. "No, that can't be right. They said she was here."

"Sorry, sweetie. Maybe she's down in the emergency room?"

Damon pulled her away from the desk. "We need to get out of here," he whispered in her ear.

"But she said she might be down in the ER. We need to go—"

"Call her," he interrupted.

"What?"

"Call her and see where she is," he snapped, eyes darting around the lobby area.

Elena nodded slowly, asking the nurse for the phone and quickly dialing Bonnie's number. Someone almost immediately picked up.

"Bonnie?" Elena asked.

"Elena? Is that you? Are you okay?"

"Are  _you_  okay?" she blurted out, her voice rising slightly. "Jeremy said you were at the hospital."

Bonnie paused for a long moment. "Ah, no, I've been home all day going through Gram's old spell books trying to figure out what's going on with you and that vampire. What's going on?"

"Oh, no," she breathed, looking at Damon with wide eyes. "Bonnie, I have to go. I'll call you later." She dropped the phone back on the counter. "She's not here."

"Elena." His eyes were focused on something behind her, his voice devoid of everything causing fear to ripple down her spine as she spun, fixing on Sheriff Forbes slowly coming towards them, gun out, pointed towards the ground but in their direction.

"Raise you hands, slowly. No sudden movements," she called, adjusting the grip on her gun.

"Sheriff, there's been some kind of misunderstanding! Just let me try to explain."

"That's enough, Elena. You showed up with one of  _them_. That's all the proof I need. Put your hands on your head." Out of the corner of her eye, Elena saw another deputy emerge from a hallway, moving towards them.

Damon suddenly disappeared from her side. She heard a gun shot, followed by screams and shouting and then the sound of the fire alarm going off accompanied by the sprinkler system kicking on, drenching everyone in seconds. She ducked down, scrambling around the desk, away from the police, coming face to face with the nurse that had helped her earlier, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.

Someone grabbed her and she kicked out viciously, but heavy weight slammed her into the floor, knocking the air out of her. Her hands were wrenched behind her back and she felt cold steel lock down on her wrists as one of the deputies cuffed her.

"I didn't do anything!" she yelled as he jerked her up by her arm, the metal digging painful into her skin.

The sheriff ran over to them, dodging frantic patients and hospital staff. "Did you see where it went?" she asked the deputy, looking around vigilantly.

"No. What do you want me to do with her?"

"Sheriff, please—" Elena started.

Liz cut her off. "Take her down to the cruiser and wait for backup, and try to find someone to shut this off," she said, waving at the water still pouring down on them before walking away, not giving Elena another look.

The deputy pulled her roughly in the opposite direction, his gun out in his other hand. She blinked the water out of her eyes, looking around for any signs of Damon but saw nothing. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked her escort in a choked voice as they entered another hallway.

"I'm taking you to the car. Mayor Lockwood will decide after that." He suddenly lurched into her, causing her to lose her balance on the slick tile and fall hard on her knees, the deputy's body crashing down next to her.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, suddenly appearing in front of her and pulling her to her feet.

"I thought you left," she sighed, relief surging through her. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had."

"Can't get rid of you yet," he said, turning her around and grabbing the handcuffs and with a swift jerk, breaking the chain holding them together.

Elena winced at the flash of pain from the bracelets digging into her wrists. "Thanks," she said, turning to him again.

"Come on. We don't have much time." He grabbed her hand and pulled her after him as they hurried through the chaotic hospital. A minute later the sprinklers finally cut out, but people still ran around frantically, shouts echoing through all the halls.

They finally found another side door on the opposite side of the hospital, closer to the car and quickly exiting into the dark parking lot, the cold air hitting Elena's wet body like a slap to the face. Damon put his arm around her, pulling her towards the car, when he suddenly stopped, his whole body going ridged. Elena immediately looked up, her gaze falling on two figures standing across the parking lot from them. She frowned, trying to make them out, feeling an overwhelming sense of familiarity. She blinked and suddenly one was gone.

"Hello, Elena," her own voice whispered liltingly in her ear.

She spun, her heart ratcheting up another notch, but nothing was there.

"Katherine," Damon growled as he jerked her closer, away from where the other vampire had been a split second before.

Elena looked back over at the other unmoving figure and recognition suddenly hit her. "No, Jeremy!" she shouted, managing to pull away from Damon's grasp for a second before he had her again, pulling her back. "Damon! It's Jeremy, let me go!"

"Elena, stop," he said sharply, holding her struggling form tightly.

She looked back across the parking lot and her heart stopped. Jeremy was gone.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Elena didn't really remember the ride back to the bed and breakfast. Her mind was too busy analyzing every moment she had spent with Jeremy since getting back, trying to figure out if Katherine had gotten a hold of him or not, and when she did, why? What were Katherine's motivations? And why drag the Council into it, not to mention the spell on her, tying her to Damon. She kept going round and round, finding no answers.

She eventually came back to herself, blinking slightly in confusion, shocked to find herself in the bedroom they had left earlier.

"Damon?" she called out, not seeing him anywhere in the room. She got off the bed, checking the bathroom and finding nothing. Nerves got the better of her and she bolted from the room, running through the dark house to the front door, looking outside to see his car gone. She forced a deep breath and turned around, her eyes falling on the phone on the desk.

A second later she was dialing Jeremy's number, holding her breath as it rang.

"I'm surprised it took you this long," a voice identical to her own purred through the speaker when it finally picked up.

"Where's my brother?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Where's Damon?"

Elena paled, her grip getting tighter on the phone. "Why are you doing this?"

Katherine gave a little laugh. "A lot of reasons, not the least of which is because I want to."

"Katherine—"

"Listen up, Elena. You're good for one thing right now, and if you don't do what I tell you, what I did to Mommy and Daddy will look like child's play next to what I have planned for little Jeremy."

She felt her heart stop. "What do you want?" she asked numbly.

"I want you to come over to your house in the morning. Alone. Think you can handle that? We'll start the real fun when you get there."

Elena closed her eyes, despair washing over her. "I'll be there."

"Perfect. Goodbye, Elena," Katherine said in a sickeningly cheery voice before the line went dead.

Elena dropped the phone, feeling like her insides had been ripped out and slowly walked back to the room. She was starting to shiver from her wet clothes so she stripped them off down to her bra and underwear and climbed onto the bed, wrapping a blanket around her and pulling her knees up to her chin.

She didn't know how long she sat there starting into the darkness but she must have nodded off because the next thing she knew, the sound of the door clicking shut caused her to sit bolt upright.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Damon asked as he came in.

"Where did you go? I thought something had happened to you."

He pulled off his jacket, a slightly smug expression on his face. "I decided to pay Carol Lockwood a visit."

Elena's eyes went wide. "And she agreed to talk to you?"

"Oh, no," he said, coming over and standing next to the bed. "I was totally planning on resorting to torture, but turns out, she's been off vervain for months."

"Let me guess, Katherine."

"Yep," he said, a little pop on the p.

"What did you find out?"

The mirth on his face drained away and his expression turned grim. "Nothing good," he said quietly, pulling a flask with a large, script L engraved on the front out of his pocket, unscrewing the top, and taking a long pull. He held it out to her, but she pushed it away.

"Damon, what did she tell you? I have a right to know."

He sighed, sitting heavily in the chair next to the dresser. "Do you want the bad news or the really bad news?" he asked, taking another long drink.

"Just tell me," she said, trying to keep her fears under control.

He let out a long breath, not meeting her gaze. "They pinned your parent's murder on you. Apparently there was an eyewitness that saw you and someone else, and then Zach stepped forward and said the description matched Stefan. Katherine obviously manipulated the whole thing, but I don't know why. She knows Stefan is dead." He looked up at her, his expression softening at the shell-shocked look on her face.

"Why didn't they arrest me?" she asked in barely a whisper.

"Elena—"

"Damon, tell me!" she yelled, pulling the blanket closer around her.

He frowned but continued. "The Council decided not to bring you in because they wanted to get the vampire that helped you, considered him to be the bigger threat. Carol said they've had surveillance on you for the past six months."

"That's why they did the spell?" she asked.

He nodded. "I guess Zach must have told them everything he knew about Stefan and me, and when they heard that there was a Salvatore in Pennsylvania, they brought in a witch to cast the spell, someone with connections to Bonnie."

"Bonnie didn't know anything about the spell—"

"But she knows who does," he snapped back. "No one is on our side in this town, Elena. No one."

Elena bit her lip, almost drawing blood. "What about the spell?"

Damon finished the flask, throwing it across the room violently, causing her to jump. "A lot of what we already fucking know," he growled. "She said they wanted something that would bind you to the vampire you were supposedly working with. That way, if they got a hold of one of us, they could control the other. The problem is, that's just what Carol told the witch they wanted the spell to do, not what she actually cast." He looked up at her. "What we need is the witch that did this. I say we plan to go visit little Bonnie tomorrow and see what she's dug up. If nothing else I can get her to tell us what witch was involved."

Elena nodded, pushing down the lump in her throat at the thought of her best friend. "Going to see Bonnie's a good idea. She said she was looking through her Grams' stuff."

"Good," Damon said, leaning back in the chair, lightly hitting his head against the wall behind him, his eyes turned towards the ceiling, his expression anything but pleasant.

Elena let out a long sigh. She was finally starting to get answers and she had to turn herself over to Katherine in the morning. A quick panic went through her at the thought of what would happen to Damon when she died, but she clung to the hope that he and Bonnie could find a way to break the spell before it was too late, or that Lola had been outright lying. A soft smile sprung to her lips as she looked over at him, sitting slumped in the hard wooden chair, looking entirely too good after all they had just gone through. She played over the last few days in her head, mildly shocked at how quickly events had brought them together, and realizing that if she had to have gone through it all, she was glad it was Damon going through it with her.

But tomorrow it was over… and she wasn't ready to let him go.

She abruptly sat up, letting the blanket fall away as she slipped off the bed.

He glanced over, his eyes widening as they fixed on her walking towards him, barely clothed. She slid onto his lap, straddling him as her hands ran up over his chest, shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he asked a little breathlessly, his hands lightly touching the bare skin of her back.

"I don't want to think right now," she said, settling closer against him, leaning down and brushing her nose along his jaw to his ear, taking it lightly between her teeth before letting it go. Her hands found their way to the button on his jeans, one popping them open as the other slipped into the waistband, finding him already hardening as she slipped her hand around him, earning a quick gasp. "Just… just make me forget… for a little while."

His light touch turned heavy as he gripped her sides tightly, his fingers kneading into her as he met her hooded gaze with blazing eyes. She pulled down the zipper on his jeans and pushed them down, giving herself more room to maneuver as she pulled him free, stroking up and down his shaft slowly, running a thumb over his slick head. He groaned and leaned forward, kissing a hot trail down her neck as his one hand skimmed over her back, quickly unhooking her bra and divesting her of it a second later. His lips continued downward, drawing her hardened nipple into his mouth, sucking hard, his tongue mercilessly teasing her.

Her breath turned ragged. He was letting her take her time, just like with the kiss at Marion's, but she didn't want to take her time, she hardly had any left. She gripped his cock, pushing her soaking panties aside and positioned herself over him, seating him at her entrance.

His mouth released her and his hands grabbed her hips, holding her above him teasingly for a moment. "Damon," she moaned, clutching at his shoulders, desperate to have him inside her.

"God, I love you like this," he breathed, his hold loosening just enough. She sank down on him slowly, gasping as he completely filled her. His hand twisted in her hair, pulling her down so he could capture her lips in a mind-numbing kiss as he thrust into her. She moaned into his mouth, as she pulled her hips back, feeling him start to slid out of her before sinking down on him again until he was buried in her as far as he could go.

"Elena," he growled, his grip on her hips turning almost painful when she stopped again. She grinned and finally started moving, riding him in earnest. She threw her head back, pleasure consuming her senses as she picked up the pace, his hands on her hips guiding her as he met her thrust for thrust.

She felt her release building, moan after moan escaping her. One hand slipped from his shoulder to the back of the chair, the other pulling him closer as she tried to gain purchase on something as her world started to come undone. His hand came up, gripping her breast almost painfully as he thrust into her harder. She felt something inside her snap and his hand clamped over her mouth as she screamed, her orgasm rolling through her, her entire body shuddering over him.

She started to come down from her high but suddenly found herself standing against the bed before falling forward onto it as her legs wobbled weakly under her. She abruptly felt Damon's now naked body press against her and she gasped as he ripped her underwear off, roughly thrust her legs apart, and slammed himself back inside her, causing her to scream into the mattress, muffling the sound.

She felt him lean in, still buried in her to the hilt, his chest pressing against her bare back. "My turn, babes," he whispered in her ear, his hands ghosting down her sides, making her whole body shudder, till they grabbed her hips and he pulled back for a split second before slamming into her all over again, driving her into the bed.

She cried out, her hands gripping the comforter as he pounded into her, the room filled with the sounds of slapping flesh and moans of pleasure. Her back arched as she pushed herself back into him with each thrust, all thoughts fleeing her mind except the feel of him deep inside of her, her entire body singing with it, and the sound of his low moans in her ear.

He pressed against her back again and through her glazed vision she saw him offer his wrist. She latched onto it without hesitation, moaning against him as the sensation of his blood running down her throat added to everything else overloading her body. His other arm slipped around her as his thrusts turned frantic and he pulled her up, his fangs sinking into neck.

At the first draw of her blood, she came so hard she nearly passed out, loosing control of her body as she clenched around him. Shudder after shudder ran through her, feeling him spill inside her, moaning against her throat before releasing her. She pulled away from his wrist, gasping for breath as a near sob escaped her, clutching at him, wanting him impossibly closer.

He collapsed onto the bed next to her, breathing hard as he ran a hand through her tangled hair. He pushed himself farther onto the bed, slipping an arm around her and pulling her limp, sweaty body with him until they were both sprawled in the middle of the plush mattress staring intently at each other.

"Damon," Elena said softly, reaching out and running her thumb over his cheekbone, trying not to think of the fact that this was most likely the last time she would ever do this with him.

He frowned slightly, grabbing her caressing hand in his. "You all right?"

She smiled sadly, moving closer to him and tucking her body into his, inhaling his scent. "Just tired. My entire body feels like jello right now."

"Hmm," he muttered into her hair. "I don't know what it is about you. I could do this with you probably for forever."

Her breath caught and she pressed her eyes closed, concentrating on him and not what she had to do in a few hours. "Me too."

He grabbed the blanket she had been using earlier and pulled it over them, tucking it around her as he pulled her closer, his arm wrapped around her.

After several long minutes she heard his breathing finally even out, but she continued to lie there, wide awake, staring into the darkness.

 


	14. Chapter 14

When the sky started to lighten slightly, Elena gently slipped out of Damon's arms, easing herself off the bed. She gathered up her clothes and grabbed Damon's keys before moving to the door, casting one last lingering look at the man on the bed before peeking out into the hallway and hurrying to another room to get dressed.

Once outside she ran across the gravel driveway to the car, fiddling with the key a moment with shaking hands before getting it unlocked and sliding in. She was just about to start the engine when the sound of something slamming into the hood caused her to jump. She looked up and paled, seeing Damon stalking around the car and ripping the door open.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he hissed, pulling her roughly out of the vehicle and slamming her against its side.

"I'm trying to save my brother," she snapped back, trying to push him away. He had obviously dressed in a hurry; his t-shirt was inside out, a button on his jeans undone.

"What are you talking about? Save him how…" Something clicked and he rolled his eyes. "Katherine got a hold of you somehow, didn't she? You were going to meet her somewhere."

Elena looked away, guilt all over her face. "Does it matter?"

"Yes, damn it, it matters!" he yelled, slamming his hand into the metal. "You have no idea what she'll do to you when she finally gets her hands on you."

"Yes, I do, Damon. I saw my parents."

He shook his head, frustration and something else she couldn't name reading all over his features. "If you die right now, you'll come back as a vampire. Did you stop and think of that?"

The blood remaining in her face fled. "Oh my god…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Come on." He stepped back, starting to pull her towards the house.

"No, Damon!" she yelled, and his entire body shuddered from the effects of the spell, his hold on her arm instantly loosening. She stumbled back, shocked as he slowly turned to face her, his expression stony.

"Please," she begged, fighting back the tears at the thought of her brother in Katherine's clutches. "She still has Jeremy! She said she'd kill him if I didn't meet her this morning. What if it was your brother? You have to let me help him!"

"You're brother's dead either way, Elena," he snapped at her, not making a move to touch her again, his gaze unreadable in the growing light.

She felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She flinched, falling back a step, the tears she had been holding back finally sliding down her cheeks, her arms wrapped around herself.

A small frown grew on Damon's face as he watched her until his cold mask completely fell away and he stepped towards her. "Elena, I—"

"I get it, Damon," she said in a choked voice. "You can't afford to let me go. You don't know what will happen with this spell…"

He closed the space between them, crushing her to him as he pinned her against the car again, his hands on her face, his thumbs wiping away her tears. "You don't get it at all," he said softly, his eyes boring into hers. "In almost a hundred and eighty years I've never come across anything like you. Everything about you makes me crazy. I  _can't_  let you go, Elena." His expression hardened slightly. "I refuse to let Katherine take you away from me like she took my brother."

"You have no idea how much all I want to do is come back inside with you and block out the world," she said, her voice shaking. "But if I don't at least try to save Jeremy, I'll never be able to live with myself." She searched his open face. "If you feel anything for me, you'll let me do this."

He frowned. She could see him fighting with himself in his eyes and she didn't know who was going to win, the cold, emotionless vampire she had met on the road days earlier or the man she had made love with brief hours before. He looked at her for several more heartbeats as if searching to see if he could get away with dragging her back inside the house before looking away, resigned. His shoulders slumped, the last bit of hope on his face gone. When he finally spoke, his voice came out low and empty. "I can't stop her. She's older and stronger than me."

"I wouldn't ask you to try," she said, a sad smile on her face.

"If I let you do this, you have to swear that you'll fight till I get there, that you won't let Katherine win."

"Till you get there?" she asked.

"I'll go get Bonnie. Between the two of us, we'll come up with something."

Elena reached up and clutched him to her, holding him in a desperate embrace. "Thank you."

His arms slipped around her, pulling her closer and he buried his face in her hair. "Just don't die on me." He breathed her in for another long minute before pulling back, reaching into his back pocket for something and handing her a little silver cigarette case with another engraved L on the front. "I grabbed this at the Lockwood's. Thought it might come in handy for Katherine." She took it and opened it, finding several sprigs of some type of dried flower. "Vervain," he said softly, moving away from her.

Elena looked up at him watching her, an emotion she wasn't yet ready to name pounding through her. "Damon," she started, unsure exactly what she wanted to say.

"Elena, you have exactly ten seconds to get in the car before I change my mind."

She swallowed and nodded, tucking the case into her pocket before turning around and getting in the car, quickly starting the engine. She looked out the window at his unmoving form one last time before she put it in gear and started to pull away. Before she got on the road, she looked in the rearview mirror, but he was already gone.

She choked back the sobs that threatened to consume her as she drove towards her house, forcing herself to concentrate on what she was about to face. The thought of finally coming face to face with Katherine sent goosebumps over her skin, but she reminded herself of the fact that Damon would get there eventually. She just had to make it long enough and all of this would hopefully be behind her.

Elena pulled up outside her house, her stomach in knots as she gazed at the familiar front door. She slowly got out of the car, forcing herself to take step after step until she found herself standing in the entranceway, listening to the unnatural silence, the night she found her parents flashing through her mind on a loop. She walked down the hallway towards the living room, her entire body shaking as she rounded the corner, holding her breath.

The normal, untouched room met her and she let out a long sigh, looking around for some other sign of her brother or Jenna, praying her aunt was staying on campus for a few days. She heard a creek on the wood behind her and she spun, gasping as she came face to face with what might have been her identical twin, the orchestrator of her own personal hell.

Katherine stood inches away, thick curls framing the small, mischievous grin on her face as she looked her doppelganger up and down. "I was worried you might not come."

"Where's my brother? Where's Jenna?" Elena asked through numb lips, utterly shocked at Katherine's appearance.

Katherine waved off the question, slowly stalking around her trembling duplicate. "How did you get away from Damon?" she asked, picking up a strand of Elena's hair and running it slowly through her fingers.

"He had to leave to do something."

"Apparently after doing you," Katherine quipped, her grin growing even wider as Elena flushed crimson. She leaned in and Elena flinched away from her. "I can smell him all over you." She laughed then, the sound like tiny bells. "That's going to make this so much more fun."

Elena's hands clenched. "I came here like you told me, now tell me where my brother and aunt are!"

Katherine suddenly blurred and Elena was slammed into the floor, her head cracking painfully off the wood. She gasped, coughing from the air being knocked out of her, as she fought against the weight on top of her, holding her down. Katherine's face appeared above her own just as she felt the vampire's hand slip around her throat, choking her.

"You do not get to make demands of me, Elena," Katherine purred, her cold brown eyes staring into Elena's terrified ones, pupils fluctuation. "You're going to do exactly what I tell you to do." She let go of her throat, and Elena coughed, gasping for air. "Now, you're going to make Damon come here."

Elena coughed again, looking up at Katherine in confusion. "What do you mean?" she wheezed. "You want me to call him?"

Katherine's lips puckered in a little frown. "No compulsion, huh? Not ideal, but we can make due." She cocked her head, her curls dancing around her. "And yes, call him, but not with a phone. I didn't have that spell put on you for nothing. Make him come to the house."

Elena's blood ran cold. "You're using me to control him? Why?"

"Do it, Elena," Katherine growled.

Elena shook her head. She knew he was going to get there eventually but he needed time to talk to Bonnie or else none of them were walking away from this. "No."

Katherine's eyes narrowed. "This isn't negotiable."

"I'm not going to help you hurt him."

The vampire sat up, straddling her and casually reached over and grabbed her wrist, jerking her hand up. Elena hadn't even had a chance to try to pull away before she screamed from the searing pain flashing up her hand and arm as Katherine quickly snapped her little finger.

"Call him," Katherine said again, leaning over her.

Elena pressed her eyes closed, tears leaking from under her lids. "No."

She sighed, casually breaking her next finger. Elena screamed again, her breath coming in gasps. "You're making this so difficult." Katherine ran a finger down between Elena's breasts, over her stomach and then back up. "Was he really that good of a fuck that you won't give him up?"

Elena forced herself to meet the cold eyes above her. "You would know," she gasped out.

Katherine's eyes turned murderous and she hit her hard across the face, sending pain lancing through her head as her vision blurred.

"I think it's time to give Aunt Jenna a call," Katherine's voice permeated through the haze of pain.

"No!" Elena cried, fighting to sit up as Katherine used one hand to hold her down while with her other, pulled out her phone and dialed a number. She held it up to her ear for a long moment, a small smile on her face as she gazed down at her captive. "Hey, Jenna. Remember what I told you earlier? Good. I want you to do that now." She clicked the disconnect button and dropped the phone, glancing over at the window. "Any time now."

Elena looked over at the window, fighting against her hold, dread filling her. She heard something upstairs and her blood ran cold. "Jenna, no!" she screamed, a moment later she saw something fall past the window followed by a sickening thump and a scream. "Jenna!" She clawed at Katherine's hand holding her down and the vampire surprisingly stood, letting her up. She scrambled to her feet, mindless to the pain of her broken fingers and throbbing head and ran to the window, pushing the curtain aside to look out.

She saw her aunt lying in the grass outside in the bright morning sunlight, her legs twisted at grotesque angles, blood dripping from her noise, but still very much alive, her chest heaving with her cries of pain. Elena sobbed and moved to run for the door, but Katherine slammed into her again, pushing her into the wall. "Call Damon, or I go out there and drain your pretty aunt dry."

Elena gasped for breath. "Just—just don't hurt her."

"Call him!"

"Damon," she breathed, her heart wrenching in her chest. Her legs gave out and she slumped against the wall, Katherine letting her sink to the floor.

"You have to mean it, Elena." Katherine's silky voice floated to her.

"Damon!" she yelled, her hands clenching in her hair, her knees pulled up to her chest. "I'm so sorry."

Katherine knelt in front of her, a finger under her chin forcing her to look up. "Now this is what you're going to do when he gets here…" She rattled off several basic commands she wanted Elena to impart and then stood, throwing herself into one of the armchairs, her legs dangling over the side. "And now we wait," she said cheerily.

Elena looked up. "What about Jenna? She needs help!" She started to stand.

"If you move, I'll kill her," she hissed menacingly before another smile slipped onto her face. "Just sit down and relax, Elena. The fun's just about to start."

* * *


	15. Chapter 15

Elena sat huddled against the wall, cradling her broken hand while listening to Jenna's cries of pain steadily getting weaker out the window. Katherine still sat lounging in the armchair, one leg dangling over the side as she idly inspected her nails, casting quick glances over at the door.

Elena watched her for several long minutes before she worked up the nerve to ask the question that had been haunting her the entire time. "Why me?" she asked in a little voice. "Why'd you do this to my family?"

Katherine glanced over at her before letting her head fall back, her dark curly hair spilling down the side of the chair, continuing to languidly stare at the ceiling. "So many reasons, Elena," she drawled. "One," she started ticking off on her fingers "you look like me. And you're sooo dull, you're giving my face a bad name. Two: your parents killed the one person that I might have been able to spend eternity with and I've been using you to draw back the last person responsible. Three… Well, I just really don't like you." She grinned impishly.

Elena stared at her in horror, a chill creeping over her. "My parents killed Stefan?"

Katherine glanced at her quickly, surprise flitting across her features. "Damon's been  _chatty_  with you. That's different…" She sat up, pulling her feet up into the chair and leaning towards Elena, her chin propped on her hands like a little kid as she examined her doppelganger closely. "… and very interesting. Don't you think it's nice and poetic how I got the Council to think Stefan killed Mommy and Daddy Gilbert? I knew Damon wouldn't be able to keep his nose out of it once he heard that."

"I'm sorry about Stefan," Elena said softly, surprised by how sincere she actually was. "But Damon and I had nothing to do with it—"

Katherine's sharp laugh cut her off. "Damon had everything to do with it," she threw at her, glancing over at the doorway again. "And this is taking entirely too long." She lithely slipped off the chair, getting to her feet. "Maybe we need to impart exactly how urgent the situation is."

Elena scrambled up, when she turned to her, looking around desperately for something to defend herself with. She came up empty and forced herself to stand straight as Katherine advanced, stopping inches away.

"Look at you, trying to be all brave," the vampire said, a mocking smirk slipping over her features before she grabbed her, throwing her away from the wall and onto the coffee table in the middle of the room, smashing it to pieces. Elena barely had time to take a breath before she was jerked up, Katherine pressed to her back, one arm wrapped around her holding her in place as the vampire grabbed her hair, jerking her head to the side, exposing her neck. Katherine's teeth scraped across her skin and she closed her eyes, flinching, when she heard the front door shut.

Katherine pulled her head away, still holding Elena in a tight grip as both of them watched Damon slowly walk around the corner, stopping when he caught sight of them.

"Katherine," he said in a low voice, hesitantly entering the room, his eyes flicking to Elena.

"Pretty picture we make, don't we, Damon?" Katherine purred, resting her chin on Elena's shoulder, never taking her eyes off of him.

"How about you let her go and we can talk."

"We're going to chat, but Elena isn't going anywhere." She cocked her head. "Why don't you take a seat, Damon."

His expression darkened. "Enough with the games. What the hell do you want, Katherine? All this seems a little elaborate even for you," he snapped, not moving from where he stood just inside the room.

Katherine's hand clenched painfully in Elena's hair. "Think of poor Aunt Jenna out there," she breathed in her ear. "Jeremy can always be next."

"Damon," Elena choked out, not meeting his gaze. "Sit down and don't move."

Damon's hand clenched, his knuckles white, but he slowly walked to the couch and sat down, his expression blazing with rage.

"Good girl," Katherine said, her grip loosening slightly, leaving Elena totally unprepared for the feeling of fangs sinking into her throat a split second later. She screamed as Katherine ripped into her flesh, taking one good solid pull of blood before pulling away. Elena slumped, sobbing, but Katherine hauled her up, forcing her to keep her feet.

"Hmm," Katherine muttered, licking her lips as the veins around her eyes slowly disappeared. "Guess I can't blame you for trying the goods, Damon. She's tasty."

Elena looked up at him through her tears, his blue eyes fixed on Katherine and every muscle in his body tense, straining to move. She was legitimately starting to worry that she hadn't given him enough time. That he hadn't talked Bonnie into helping. That they really were at Katherine's mercy with no way out.

"Let her go, Katherine," he said in a surprisingly calm voice.

Katherine looked at him intently, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Well, well. Damon Salvatore interested in the wellbeing of a little human girl. Never thought I'd see the day." She reached up, running a finger down Elena's neck and into the still bleeding wound, letting her nail dig into the torn flesh. Elena gasped, twisting in her grasp and Katherine released her, letting her fall to the floor, scrambling away. The vampire sauntered over to Damon, licking the blood off her finger as she straddled him, running her hands through his hair as his came up and rested lightly on her thighs. "Still trying to deal with the fact that I chose Stefan? Think you can actually replace me with  _her_?"

Damon's hands clenched and he shoved her off him roughly. "Get over yourself. I know I did."

Katherine caught herself, standing straight and looking down at him with blazing eyes. "Was that before or after you got Stefan killed?"

"Is that what this is about? Stefan?"

"He's dead because of you. I'll let you figure it out."

Damon shook his head. "Unbelievable. You really are a psychotic bitch."

Katherine glared and a moment later had one hand around his throat, pinning him to the couch, before she punched her other hand into his stomach up to her wrist. Damon gasped, his eyes going wide as he clutched at her hand buried inside him. "What the hell?" he groaned, twisting under her.

She grinned maliciously. "You took him away from me and I intend on making you pay for that."

Elena tore her horrified gaze from the sight before her and looked around frantically, fixing on a broken piece of wood from the coffee table. She dived forward, grabbing it before struggling to her feet and lunging at Katherine, driving the makeshift stake into her back. Katherine gasped, falling back away from Damon, her hand slipping out of him slick with blood and knocked Elena back to the floor as she desperately reached for the piece of wood lodged in back.

Elena hit the floor hard, gasping as pain lanced up her hand and arm. She glanced over at Damon, who was clutching his bloody stomach and slowly sitting back up. "Damon, get out of here!" she yelled, looking over just in time to see Katherine pulling the piece of coffee table out of her back, a look of pure fury on her face. Damon was gone in the blink of an eye, but so was Katherine and less than a split second later, Elena felt herself being roughly jerked up, her sliver of hope disappearing as Damon reappeared in front of her.

"You know, I couldn't have planned this better," Katherine growled next to Elena's ear, addressing Damon. "I was going to keep her around a little longer to play with you, but you genuinely like her," she smiled again, "and that's going to make watching your expression while I do this so much better."

Elena saw her hand move, but it took her several more seconds, as the pain started to blossom and consume her before she knew what had happened. She looked down at the bloody piece of wood buried in her stomach as Katherine slipped away and her knees buckled, sending her to the floor. She couldn't even scream from the pain, a low moaning whimper escaping her against her will, as her hands flitted around the wood, every move to touch it sending the pain higher and higher.

She could barely concentrate on anything other than the burning pain in her gut, but she saw Katherine slam into Damon on the periphery of her vision, him struggling to fight back against his stronger, faster opponent.

"Bonnie, now!" he yelled, his urgent voice breaking through the haze that was starting to descend on her. She blinked several times, trying to clear her eyes enough to see what was going on through the pain and her tears. She saw Katherine stumble back, her dark eyes wide, and her arms wrapped around herself. Damon scrambled away from her on the floor where he had been knocked down and Elena thought she heard her friend talking somewhere in the room, saying things she couldn't understand, but she couldn't be sure in her rapidly worsening state, her own cries of pain starting to drown out everything else.

Katherine gasped and then suddenly screamed, as smoke started to rise from her skin. She stumbled back farther, falling into the wall just as she burst into flames, the curtains next to her going up with her.

Damon suddenly blocked Elena's view as he fell beside her, his eyes full of worry and anger and pain. His hand slipped under her head, steadying her as he met her drifting gaze. "Just hold on a little bit longer for me," he said above the sound of the crackling flames behind him as they continued to spread from Katherine and the curtains through the house.

Elena started to answer him, but was cut short as a scream ripped out of her as Damon pulled the splintered piece of wood out of her stomach, pressing his hand over the gaping wound.

"Elena!" she heard Bonnie scream as her friend ran to her side, falling to her knees next to her. Her face was smeared with blood and she looked exhausted. "Oh my god, what happened?" Bonnie asked in a trembling voice, looking her over before she glared up at Damon. "What are you doing? You have to do something!"

Damon glanced behind him at the now raging fire creeping slowly closer then glared at Bonnie. "We can't do anything in here," he snapped as he gently lifted Elena in his arms. Pain lanced through her and she groaned, burying her face in his chest to try to muffle the sound.

She felt herself being carried when in a flash of clarity she remembered her brother. "Jeremy," she said as loud as she could, which was barely audible. She felt the cold outside air hit her face and then she was being laid down on the ground, Damon pulling off his jacket and tucking it under her head.

"Here," he said, starting to raise his wrist to his mouth, but she reached up, using her feeble grasp to stop him.

"No time," she breathed, groaning from the pain. "Have to get Jeremy."

" _You_  don't have time, Elena," he said roughly.

"Damon… please…"

"I'll stay," Bonnie said, gripping her hand.

Damon swore profusely, but disappeared as he flashed back into the burning house.

Bonnie started talking to her, but she couldn't make out what she was saying. She started drifting, slipping closer to unconsciousness until she heard Bonnie yell. "Jenna!"

"She'll be fine," Damon's harsh voice said as Elena felt herself being pulled onto his lap and he fitted his bleeding wrist to her mouth. She barely had the strength to swallow, but she felt a little of his blood slide down her throat.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie asked, a slight frantic edge to her voice.

"Relax, judgey, I'm healing her."

Elena felt the warm, burning tingling feeling spread through her body as it slowly started to mend all the damage and a little strength started to return. She reluctantly pulled away from Damon's wrist, knowing he wasn't in the best condition either and not wanting to take too much, and looked over at where her aunt lay unmoving on the ground. She tried to sit up and move towards her, but Damon's arms wrapped around her tightly and pulled her back against him.

"Don't you dare move," he growled. "I gave her some blood. She's going to be fine," he said into her hair.

"Jeremy?"

"He's not in the house. We'll have to look for him."

"Damon—" she started, shifting slightly.

He pulled her impossibly closer. "Don't. Move."

Elena sighed slightly, slipping her arms over his and holding on tight. "I'm glad you're all right, too."

Bonnie made a small noise and Elena glanced over at where she was staring at them with an odd look on her face. "The fire department is probably going to show up any minute, and unless you two want to explain why you look like an extra in a horror movie, we should probably get out of here."

Elena glanced back at the house and gasped as she saw how far the flames had spread, flickering from almost every window downstairs and a menacing dark smoke starting to billow out the windows on the second floor blocking out the bright morning sunlight. Damon's grip loosened on her slightly and he helped her get unsteadily to her feet, her eyes still fixed on the scene before her as the only house she'd ever known consumed itself.

"You're absolutely sure Jeremy wasn't in there?" she asked, turning to Damon, her eyes wide with fear and worry for her brother.

"Yes, she must have been keeping him somewhere else. We'll find him, don't worry." He turned her towards the car. "We gotta go."

"Wait, Jenna—"

He sighed, glancing at Bonnie. "Will you get her in the car?" he said, before letting her go and turning back to Elena's still unconscious aunt.

Bonnie came over and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Come on, Elena."

Elena let herself be led towards the Camaro, glancing back several times at the burning house before her dazed gaze landed on Bonnie. "Are  _you_  all right?" she asked, taking in the blood on her face.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, just tired. That spell took a lot out of me."

"What did you do to her?"

Bonnie shrugged. "I basically burned her in sunlight."

Elena nodded then frowned. "So they are affected by the sun?" She glanced back at where Damon was lifting Jenna off the ground. "But Damon's out in it all the time and he's not turning into a ball of fire."

"Apparently witches can spell certain items to protect vampires from the sun. Damon has a ring and Katherine had… something. I just had to figure out a way to overcome that spell and then amplify the effects."

"That sounds… hard."

Bonnie gave her a small smile. "You're my best friend."

Elena pulled her into a hug. "Thank you. I know you don't trust Damon, but I'm glad you helped him, for both our sakes."

Bonnie nodded, helping her into the car and then paused, looking down at her, a slight, hesitant expression on her face. "Are you sure  _you_  trust him?" she asked in a low whisper. "He's still a vampire, Elena. If you need my help…"

Elena paled, shaking her head. "No, Bonnie. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but Damon… I—" She struggled to find the right words to explain to Bonnie when she couldn't even explain to herself.

"Scoot over," Damon cut in, hefting Jenna in his arms behind Bonnie. She moved out of the way, and Elena moved over to the other side of the car as Damon eased her aunt into the back seat. "Let's go, witch. You're the one that said we needed to get out of here," he said to Bonnie, shutting the door and walking around the car to get in the driver's seat. Bonnie rolled her eyes, but got in the passenger side and they pulled out into the street a moment later, Elena casting one last look back at her burning home.

She turned away, trying to ignore the ache in her heart, and held her aunt's head in her lap, looking her over closely. "Why isn't she waking up?" she asked Damon as they drove. "She should be healed by now."

Damon glanced back at her in the rearview mirror. "She was a little hysterical when I found her so I compelled her to sleep." Elena glared at him and he shrugged. "You were dying, Elena. I didn't really have time to deal with her any other way."

"But she'll be okay?"

Damon let out a long-suffering sigh. "I said yes, didn't I?"

They pulled up to Bonnie's house sometime later, the remainder of the ride having been tensely quiet. Bonnie got out of the car, pausing next to the door. "You should all probably come in. I think I can help find Jeremy," she said quietly, casting a quick look at Damon, her expression still slightly unsure before shutting the door and walking towards the house.

Elena looked at Damon in surprise, but he was already getting out of the car, coming around to help her with Jenna. She got out after him and followed him slowly towards the house.

Bonnie was waiting for them with the door open, standing just inside the threshold.

Damon and Elena stopped when she didn't move. "Are we really going to play this game?" Damon asked in an irritated voice.

"You saw what I did to Katherine," she said, fixing him with her best glare. "I can easily do the same to you."

"Bonnie!" Elena gasped.

Damon glared back, his eyes icy. "That only worked because you caught her by surprise. I know how much that spell took out of you, Bonnie. Don't think there will be anything easy about doing the same to me."

"Just don't give me a reason and we won't have to find out."

"Will you two just stop!" Elena yelled, glancing between them. "I know you don't trust each other, but can you please just trust me?"

They both looked at her and Bonnie slowly stepped back from the door. "Come on in, Elena."

Elena slowly walked past her, turning to look at Damon as he followed her with Jenna still in his arms. "After we find Jeremy we need to work on this spell," she said to him.

He didn't meet her gaze. "You have a room I can put her in?" he asked, nodding at Jenna.

Bonnie nodded, closing the door and walking to the steps. "I'll show you. I have to grab some things for the spell up there anyway."

Elena frowned as she watched them head up the steps before wandering into Bonnie's living room and sinking down onto the sofa, her arms wrapped around herself, worry consuming her. She didn't notice Damon enter the room until he sat down beside her, causing her to jump.

"Bonnie will be down in a minute," he said, brushing her hair out of her face and cupping her cheek. He leaned down, hesitating a moment, his eyes searching her face before he kissed her slightly parted lips, slowly and deliberately, as if savoring every inch of her. She felt warmth flood her body, a sliver of contentment filling her as she gently kissed him back.

He pulled away with a barely audible sigh. "I'm never letting you do something like that again," he breathed.

"Hopefully, you won't have to." She looked up at him, reluctant to bring up what she had to ask. "Damon, I need you to tell me what happened with Stefan and my parents. I just… I need to know."

He looked away, his brows furrowed. "I take it Katherine mentioned what happened."

She nodded. "Is it true? Did my parents kill him?"

"That's what I heard later. I wasn't there to see it for myself."

"Damon, tell me."

He fell back onto the sofa, his gaze distant. "The problems started when I came back for the comet…"


	16. Chapter 16

_The tomb was finally open._

_After a hundred and forty five years of planning, preparing, and mind numbing waiting, he had finally accomplished the only goal he had held onto through his entire undead life. And where had it gotten him?_

_Absolutely fucking nowhere._

_Apparently Katherine wasn't at all grateful for the lengths he had gone to try and save her. Apparently she had had her own way of escaping, one that didn't involve being locked in a tomb for a century and a half. And apparently he had completely fucked up that plan. Needless to say, she was not pleased._

_So after coming back to Mystic Falls, running into his holier than thou brother who insisted on tagging along, finally getting the crystal he needed and a witch to do the spell, and at last getting the tomb open, turns out Katherine really didn't want anything to do with him._

_As he stood across the room, pouring himself yet another glass of bourbon and watching his brother explain to the love of both their lives all about the wonders of the twenty first century he knew he had to get out of there. Seeing the way Katherine watched his brother, obviously not really paying attention to what he was saying, was making him sick._

_Stefan wasn't even supposed to be here! he snarled to himself as he turned away from the two of them. Damon had never mentioned that Katherine was still alive, trapped in the tomb. He assumed it was dumb luck that his brother happened to be in town when he came back for the comet that would break the spell and give him the thing he had wanted most._

_He could still see her wan face after the blood she drank had transformed her back into woman he had been so madly in love with. Her brown eyes, so dark in her ashen face, had looked up, meeting his and all he could see in them was the disdain and utter lack of feeling for him. He thought it would pass, that she was just reacting from having been locked away, desiccating to a mummified corpse._

_Then Stefan had stepped forward, kneeling next to her and her face had lit up. And what was left of Damon's heart shattered._

_The glass in Damon's hand cracked violently, spilling alcohol down his hand, dripping onto the old Persian carpet and he cursed fluidly, throwing it across the room where it shattered against a wall._

_Stefan and Katherine stopped talking, turning to look in his direction. He glowered at both of them, turning and stalking from the room. He made it all the way out of the house to the front porch before Katherine's lithe figure blurred in front of him, the iron grip of her delicate hand on his chest stopping him as effectively as a stake through his heart._

" _What?" he growled, using every bit of anger he had to try and hide how vulnerable he was at that moment._

_She looked up at him through her thick lashes, knowing exactly how much power she had. "You should come back inside," she said softly._

" _Why? You and Stefan seem to be having a good time all on your own."_

" _But I like having fun with you too," she purred, stepping closer and pressing her body to his, her finger dipping inside his shirt to lightly brush his skin, leaving behind a trail of fire._

_He hissed, taking a step back but she moved with him, her other hand slipping behind his neck, pulling him down into a searing kiss. He froze, hesitating for a moment before his body melted into hers, his arms crushing her to him with a desperate need. He breathed her in as she pressed him back against the wall next to the door, her hands roaming over the hard planes of his chest._

_He felt her lips curve in a smile and something clicked in his head. He pulled back, his breath coming in gasps as he reversed their positions in a flash, pressing her into the wall, his hands coming up and twisting in her hair as he cupped her face._

" _Katherine," he breathed almost reverently, searching her somewhat annoyed face. "I can't… I can't do this again… with Stefan." He ran a thumb over her kiss-swollen mouth. "You know I can make you happy, Katherine. Just me. Just_ let _me."_

_She raised a finger to his lips, silencing him as she stepped away from the wall, forcing him to move back slightly. Her hands came up, gripped his as a suggestive smile graced her face. "I'll_ let _you do whatever you want to me…"_

_He pulled back as she moved to kiss him again, clearly struggling. "I'm serious, Katherine. I love you."_

_She rolled her eyes, dropping her hands. "You always were better at showing rather than telling, Damon. That's what you're going with here? You love me?"_

_He frowned slightly. "I've loved you for a hundred and forty five years."_

" _And I haven't," she snapped, her patience breaking. "This was never about love, not with you." She turned back towards the door. "When you come to your senses, I'll be waiting. With Stefan. Just because you can't have me to yourself doesn't mean that you can't have me." She slipped back inside, the door shutting softly behind her._

_Damon stared at the closed door blankly, numb, but feeling as if his heart had just been violently ripped out. It was all for nothing. All the time, all the effort, all for nothing, he thought as he stumbled back, down the steps into the driveway, his fumbling mind instinctively getting him away from the source of the pain._

_She never loved him._

_He felt like he was falling apart from the inside out as agony rushed through him, consuming him so completely that he gasped, stumbling slightly on the loose gravel. He couldn't deal with this. It hurt too much. That same instinctive nature clamped down, flipping the almost nonexistent switch on his unwanted feelings, and as the agony transformed into something else just as strong, he vaguely wondered when he had started feeling again at all._

_The only feeling left was rage, white and hot and destructive. He felt the need to rip the entire world down around him as he blurred away from the boarding house, never wanting to see it, to see_ her _again._

_He found himself on a dark country road, probably a few miles away, bright lights shining in his eyes as a car rounded the turn ahead of him. He growled and stepped into the road, listening with satisfaction as the tires squealed as the car fishtailed briefly before coming to a halt. Damon stepped out of the lights and a second later the car door opened and a harried looking twenty something got out of the vehicle, looking around in a daze before her eyes found Damon's figure in the dark._

" _Oh my god! I didn't see you till the last minute," she gasped, stepping towards him. "Are you all right? I almost ran you over!"_

_Damon was suddenly in front of her and she gasped, stumbling back in confusion and a hint of fear. She opened her mouth to say something more, but he moved again, sinking his fangs into her throat, his hand on her arm gripping her so tightly that he could hear and feel the bone snap. She screamed and struggled harder, sending even more blood laced with adrenaline and fear pumping down his throat like a drug he could never get enough of. He groaned, taking draw after draw until her cries stopped and she went limp in his arms, her heart giving one last faint flutter before stopping forever._

_He stood holding the limp body for a long moment, the hollow hole inside him still making it hard to breath. Slowly he let go of her, her body dropping to a crumpled pile on the road. He was just about to leave to find another human to drain, hoping, no, knowing that eventually the blood would drown out the emptiness he felt, when he was slammed back into the still running car._

_He growled, throwing his attacker off him, and then froze, cursing fluidly. "What the fuck are you doing here?"_

_Stefan straightened his shirt as he approached his brother again, slower this time. "I could ask you the same question," he said, glancing down at the dead woman between them. "What the hell's wrong with you, Damon? You can't just kill people whenever you feel like it!"_

" _Now is not the time to lecture me, Stefan," he snapped, turning away from the last person he had the mental fortitude to talk to right then._

_Stefan moved forward, grabbing his arm and spinning him to face him. Damon pushed him hard, having the small satisfaction of seeing him stumble. "Leave me the fuck alone."_

_Stefan frowned. "This is about Katherine."_

_Damon let out a low growl and had his brother pinned to the asphalt, his hand wrapped around his neck a second later. "I'm done with her, okay, Stefan? You won. Just… go back to cuddling on the couch. And. Leave. Me. Alone." He slammed him into the road one more time and stood, stalking away. He just needed to get_ away _._

_Stefan sat up. "I didn't mean for this to happen, Damon," he called after his brother. "When I found out she was alive and you were coming back to get her out, I just wanted to see her one more time."_

_Damon stopped, shaking his head, listening despite himself. "Why, Stefan? You were over her. You went on for years about how she manipulated and compelled you. Why the fuck would you come back?"_

_The younger brother stood. "Because when I heard she was alive, a part of me started to doubt it all. I needed to know if it was real, if I had been lying to myself all these years to deal with the pain of losing her."_

_Damon turned to his brother, fighting with that switch inside of him that was traitorously flirting with the on position. "Well, congratulations, Stefan!" he yelled, throwing his hands out in exasperation. "Now you know the truth." He turned to leave again, but Stefan appeared in front of him, his brow lowered in his perpetual furrow._

" _Damon, I'm sorry," he said earnestly, his green eyes almost begging his brother to really hear him. "I heard what she said to you and I'm sorry."_

_Damon shook his head and tried to walk around him, but Stefan grabbed his arm, holding him in place. "For all of it. For how selfish I was in 1864. For making you turn. All of it, Damon. It's all my fault and I'm sorry. I should never have come back."_

_Damon frowned slightly, easing his arm out of his grasp. "It doesn't matter now." He tried to walk away again, but more lights coming around the bend made him stop, a frustrated sigh escaping him. Five minutes ago he would have been thrilled with this development, but his brother always had a way of being a buzz kill._

" _I got this, Damon. I know you need some time."_

" _Sure ya do," he shot back. "And you don't want me adding to the sickeningly low body count."_

_Stefan shook his head. "Maybe… Just go, and try not to kill anyone else tonight."_

_Damon looked at his brother one more time, then at the SUV as it rolled to a stop. He closed his eyes briefly, the painful ache in his chest flaring up before he battered it down again, letting the detached coldness take over. "See you around, Stef," he said lightly and then disappeared back into the night._

* * *

"It was my parents in the car, wasn't it?" Elena asked softly.

Damon sat with his head resting on the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling, his face devoid of emotion as he nodded. "I didn't find out about what happened until months later. I can only assume that they caught Stefan off guard."

"And Katherine blamed you for him being out there in the first place," she concluded.

"Looks that way," he said, his voice even and blank.

Elena hesitantly reached out and slipped her hand into his, gripping it tightly. "It wasn't your fault," she said softly as he lifted his head and looked down at their joined hands before meeting her gaze. "Damon—" she started to say, sliding closer.

He pulled his hand from hers and stood abruptly, walking to the window, silent.

Bonnie came into the room just as Elena stood from the couch, pausing for a brief moment at the scene before her. "Jenna's still sleeping," she said hesitantly, glancing at Damon before fixing Elena with a look.

Elena frowned at her. "Damon said she'll be fine."

Bonnie nodded her head towards the door, motioning for her friend to follow her. "You think you could help me with some stuff for the spell?"

Elena's frown deepened. She looked at Damon who still hadn't moved from his spot by the window, then followed her friend out of the room to the kitchen where she already had several items on the table. "What's up, Bonnie?"

"I'm trying to be understanding here, but seriously, Elena?" she hissed quietly.

"What?"

"How are you okay with this? He's dangerous! He's done something to Jenna and you're never gonna be completely free of him and—"

"Wait, what?" she cut in, grabbing her friend's arm. "What are you talking about?"

Bonnie's features softened slightly. "I found out who the witch was that cast the spell and she's dead, Elena. There's no way to break it. I'm going to keep looking, but the chances that I actually find something…"

Elena fell back a step, her hand slipping to her side. "Damon knows, doesn't he?"

"I told him before we came to your house, but that's not what's important, Elena. You'll never be able to get away from him. Just let me help you out of this mess!"

Elena's expression hardened. "No," she said firmly, turning and hurrying out of the kitchen and back to the living room. Damon turned when she came in, looking at her critically. "You knew this whole time that we couldn't break the curse?" she asked accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He rolled his eyes, advancing on her. "And when would you have liked to have that conversation? Before Katherine decided to play Cat's Cradle with my intestines or after I pulled a table leg from your stomach?" He snapped his fingers. "Oh, I got it. I could have grabbed some marshmallows and we could have chatted around the bonfire that was your house."

Elena went red. "Damon, we need to talk about this."

He started to say something, but his eyes snapped to something behind her. "Bonnie," he said in a low voice, almost like a warning.

Elena glanced over her shoulder to see her friend standing there, clutching something she couldn't see in her hand. "I'm sorry, Elena," she said softly before her gaze shifted back to the vampire.

Elena felt him move, starting to blur around her, but he suddenly stopped, clutching his head as he crashed to his knees with a groan.

"Bonnie!" she yelled, grabbing Damon's shoulders. "What are you doing? Stop!"

"I'm saving your life," she said in a slightly detached voice as she concentrated on keeping the vampire down. She stepped forward slowly and Elena finally saw what her friend had clutched in her hand—a long, pointed wooden stake.

Panic surged through her and she lunged forward, pushing her friend roughly and trying to wrest the stake away from her. Bonnie blinked as she stumbled and the dazed look seemed to fade from her eyes as her concentration broke. Elena pulled the stake from her grip and stumbled back, breathing hard as she stared at her friend in horror.

"Elena, why—" Bonnie started to say when Damon suddenly bowled into her, pinning her to the floor, his hand around her neck, choking off her air so she couldn't speak.

"Told you it wouldn't be that easy," he growled at her, the veins crawling around his eyes, turning them so red they looked black, and his fangs flashing as he talked.

"Damon, don't!" Elena yelled, hoping for once that the spell worked as he swooped down on her friend's throat.

It didn't. She saw Bonnie's body jerk as he ripped into her, her mouth opened in a silent scream her body couldn't get enough air for. Elena rushed forward, knowing she had to do something, but the windows suddenly blew out and she fell to the floor instinctively, covering her head with her arms to try and protect herself from the flying shards of glass.

She felt Damon's arms wrap around her and he covered her body with his until the room went unnervingly quiet. She hesitantly lifted her head and Damon let go of her, quickly standing. She saw Bonnie sitting up, propping herself up against the doorframe as she gasped for breath, her hand pressed to her neck, blood streaming down over her collarbone to soak into her shirt.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked, getting to her hands and knees.

Bonnie nodded slowly, looking up darkly at the vampire behind her friend.

Elena got to her feet, turning swiftly on Damon. "What the hell, Damon!" she snapped. He glanced at her then back out the window, and she could see the tension in the set of his shoulders. She took a step towards him and looked out the window too, her breath freezing in her throat. "Jeremy!" she shouted, bolting for the door thoughtlessly.

She made it about the ten feet to the front door, and even started to open it before Damon's arms clamped around her like iron bands. "Damon, let me go!" she yelled, struggling futilely against him.

"Stop! Something's not right," he hissed in her ear, his hold getting even tighter.

She quieted in his arms, looking at her brother standing unmoving in the front yard as the door continued to swing open from her grab at it the moment before, cold wind blowing into the house causing her to shudder.

It was strangely quiet as they stood there, no one moving and the only sound coming from the few song birds still around to weather the winter, contrasting sharply with the tense atmosphere that Elena could practically feel in her bones.

She heard the wooden boards of the porch creek and her breath caught in her throat as deliberate, booted footsteps followed. The air left her with a whoosh and she felt Damon's entire body tense behind her as Katherine appeared in front of them, framed in the door, looking fresh and decidedly not like a pile of ash, dressed in black from her curly head down to her stiletto ankle boots.

She smirked at their shocked expressions, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Miss me? You'll have to excuse my lateness. I had to go pick up a few things after you left, like clothes, something to snack on, a Gilbert…" Her smile widened as her head tilted back towards where Jeremy was still standing.

"Let him go!" Elena yelled.

Katherine's brow quirked. "Okay," she said in a surprisingly light voice. Her gaze drifted to Damon's arm around Elena holding her in place before she turned and stalked back down the stairs and over to Jeremy. She passed in front of him and he suddenly became animated. He blinked and then tried to bolt, but Katherine wrapped an arm around his chest, holding him just like Damon held Elena.

"Elena!" Jeremy shouted, spotting his sister as he struggled against the vampire.

"Damon," Elena pleaded, pulling at his arms in vain, vaguely aware of Bonnie coming up behind them. "We have to do something!"

She could feel him shaking his head, but his voice sounded strained. "She's trying to get us to leave the house."

Katherine pulled Jeremy closer, one hand brushing the hair out of his face. "Time to let go, Jeremy," she said just loud enough for the human's inside to hear her. The smile slipped off her face then, her arm jerked, and she snapped Jeremy's neck.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, thought I'd posted the last four chapters when I initially put this up and since I haven't been really writing fanfic the last few years, I haven't really been on the site. So, huge apologies to those who were reading this. Here's the rest of it. Thanks so much for reading!

Elena knew something bad was coming, but she felt like everything was in slow motion. She saw Katherine’s smile slip from her face as her hand tightened around Jeremy’s head. Damon made a small noise and pulled her back, his body moving to block her sight, but he was a split second too late and Elena saw Katherine’s arm move and Jeremy’s body slump lifelessly to the ground.

“No!” she screamed, fighting to get around Damon, pounding on his chest. “No, no, no! Jeremy!” She struggled harder to no avail, not even really knowing what she would do once she got outside, just knowing that she needed to get to her brother. Slowly, the realization of exactly what had happened hit her and she went still, her chest constricting painfully. A sob shook her and Damon’s arms tightened around her as she clutched at his shirt, her head falling against his chest as her world came crashing down around her.

She felt strong arms scoop her up and a moment later she felt a soft mattress under her. She looked around with blurry eyes, realizing she was in Bonnie’s room, her friend hesitantly sitting down next to her, tears streaming down her cheeks. Elena turned, but Damon was already gone.

“Where’d he go?” she asked, trying to pull herself together.

Bonnie shrugged, wiping tears from her eyes. “Who cares,” she muttered.

Elena glared at her as she got to her feet. “I do, Bonnie!” she snapped. “And I swear, if you try to pull another stunt like you did, I will never speak to you again. Just, get over yourself!” She shook her head and bolted from the room, back down the stairs.

The front door was still open and she could see Jeremy’s body lying broken in the dead grass. Tears welled in her eyes again and she forced herself to look away. Katherine had oddly disappeared and she didn't see Damon anywhere either. She heard Bonnie coming down the stairs, but she ignored her, too angry with her friend to have any type of conversation with her.

A loud cracking sound from the kitchen made her jump and then freeze. Bonnie slowly walked by her and Elena followed close behind, making a quick detour into the living room to grab the discarded stake from earlier. The two of them hesitated for a moment outside the kitchen before quickly entering, both letting out sigh when they saw Damon bent next to a chair by the kitchen table, breaking off another leg as a makeshift stake.

He glanced up when he heard them enter, his gaze lingering on Elena for a long second. “You don’t have anymore of those stakes, do you, witch?” he asked, straightening and examining the splintered point of the chair leg.

Bonnie shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I can check.”

He smiled sardonically at her. “Why don’t you do that then.”

Elena came farther into the room as Bonnie left it. “How did she survive the fire?” she asked through numb lips.

“She’s old. Judgey must not have put enough juice into the spell,” he said, eyeing her warily. “How are you doing?”

Elena let out a long breath. “My brother’s dead,” she said softly for the first time, feeling the lump forming in her throat again at the thought. “Is this how you felt when you found out about Stefan?”

Damon turned away, tucking the stake into his back pocket. “I cheated. Vampires can turn their emotions off, like a switch. After what happened with the crazed bitch outside, I wasn’t too keen on feeling anything.”

“You don't feel… anything?” Elena asked, her brow furrowing. “I don’t believe that.”

Damon glanced back at her with a slight frown before turning back to the glass door looking out onto the yard. Elena stared at his back for a long moment before sinking down into one of the not broken chairs. She drew in a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut to try and stop the tears she could feel building again.

She felt the air stir around her and opened her eyes, jumping when she was met with Damon’s blue ones staring back at her. He knelt in front of her, meeting her gaze for what felt like an eternity, unmoving and silent, until the thin barrier she had just constructed around her grief shattered. She fell into him, sobbing into his throat as her arms snaked around him, and he picked her up, reversing their positions so that she was cradled in is lap, wrapped around him, as he sat on the chair holding her.

“I know it hurts,” he said softly into her hair.

She clutched at him, needing the contact, and realizing how much of a miracle it was that he was giving it. She never would have imagined herself in this position that first night he had ripped into her, nearly draining her dry for the sport of it. So she let herself cry, for Jeremy, for her parents, for Damon, and when her tears had finally run their course and she felt completely gutted and hollow she pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes and nose and looking into his perfect face.

“How are we going to stop her this time, Damon?” she asked in a cracked voice.

“Same way we tried to last time,” Bonnie’s voice cut in. Elena turned to see her friend standing in the doorway to the kitchen watching them with a sad expression on her face.

Damon eased Elena off his lap and stood to face the witch. “You sure you’re up for round two?”

She shrugged, eyeing him warily. “It’s not like I have much of a choice. You said you can’t take her yourself.”

Damon scowled, about to respond when a sound from the front of the house drew their attention.

“Elena?” a voice cried, weakly drifting through the kitchen.

Elena’s blood ran cold and she found herself sprinting to the front door before she could really register what was going on. She skidded to a stop just inside the door, Damon next to her, his hand lightly on her arm.

Jeremy was sitting up in the grass, clutching his head. Elena gasped, only Damon’s firm hand on her arm reminding her that he wouldn’t let her do it keeping her from sprinting to her brother.  “Jeremy?” she called, hope and relief coloring her voice.

He looked up at her, groaning slightly as he got to his knees, glancing around in confusion. “Elena? What happened?”

“Jeremy, get in here right now!” she yelled, clutching the doorframe.

Damon shifted behind her. “If I go out there, you better have my back,” he growled at Bonnie, taking a step towards the door behind Elena.

“You can’t spoil the fun yet,” Katherine purred, suddenly appearing on the porch, inches away from Elena who yelped and fell back, her heart hammering in her chest.

Damon stepped between them, his hand resting on the stake in his back pocket. “What are you up to, Katherine?”

“What did you do to my brother?” Elena demanded, taking a step forward to stand beside Damon, trying to hide the fear she felt for all of them.

“Damon knows.” She smiled widely and turned away, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she flashed over to Jeremy, pulling him roughly to his feet and holding him securely, looking back at them expectantly.

“Damon?” Elena asked, knowing she wasn’t going to like the answer.

The vampire continued to stare at the two outside. “She fed him her blood. He’s transitioning.”

“To what?” she asked in a high pitch voice. “A vampire?”

He looked at her pointedly and she felt the air leave her with a whoosh while Bonnie gasped behind her.

“He needs blood or he’s going to die-die,” Katherine called out in a sing songy voice, a big grin on her face.

“You heartless bitch,” Damon growled, pulling away from Elena and stepping through the doorway.

“Damon!” Elena gasped, moving to follow, but Bonnie dragged her back.

“I’m not doing this again,” he said, moving down the steps. “You want something from me, come and get it, Katherine. No more games.”

Katherine’s eyes glinted as she saw him leave the safety of the house and she carelessly pushed Jeremy away where he fell to the hard ground, scrambling away from her. She blurred towards Damon a split second later and Elena gasped as he managed to slip her grasp once but not a second time as she drove him into the ground, pinning his hands, including the one with the stake, above his head.

“Jeremy! Get in here!” Elena yelled, pushing Bonnie’s hands off her and spinning on the witch. “You have to do something! Please, Bonnie! Jeremy’s out there too!”

“I don’t know if I can, Elena!” she gasped, her eyes flicking from Damon and Katherine to Jeremy scrambling towards the porch and back to her friend. “Damon was right, that last spell took a lot out of me. If I had another witch to channel then, maybe, but by myself, I don’t know.” Her eyes were wide and uncertain.

Elena could hear Damon’s voice trail off into a groan of pain and she forced herself not to turn around. “What about me? Could you use me?”

Bonnie hesitated only a moment. “I can try,” she said with renewed resolve and ran into the living room. Elena nearly screamed in frustration, but Bonnie appeared a moment later with a candle and lighter that she set on the stand next to the door and managed to light after a few attempts with her shaking hands. She then moved to stand in front of Elena and grabbed her wrists, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. “Just concentrate on wanting to help them,” she said in a now creepily calm voice before she started speaking softly in a language Elena couldn’t identify.

Elena glanced once out the door to see that Katherine had gotten the stake from Damon. He had one hand around her neck, but it didn’t seem to phase her as she drove the sharp wood into his other arm. Elena ripped her eyes away, feeling panic like she had never felt before surge through her as she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on helping Bonnie.

She blocked out the sounds coming from outside, the feel of Jeremy stumbling past her into the house, and focused on her hands gripping Bonnie’s wrists. She felt a light tingling build between them and then it turned intense. She gasped as she felt it coil inside of her, wrapping around her heart, tugging at her veins, but forced herself not to pull away even when the sensation started to turn painful.

She heard a cry and a shout and couldn’t stop herself from looking to see what was going on. When she opened her eyes she felt Bonnie’s grip on her tighten and she gasped in pain, both of them dropping to their knees.  Bonnie’s face was scrunched up in concentration, blood running from her nose as she continued to chant. Elena gasped for breath as she looked out the door, seeing neither vampire to her horror, just as Bonnie’s voice rose. Wind seemed to pick up from no where and whip around them and Elena screamed as the pain intensified, convincing her that her blood had turned to fire and was burning her from the inside out.

Just when she thought she was about to pass out from the pain, everything stopped. The wind immediately died and Bonnie went silent, her grip loosening as she slumped to the floor, her chest heaving. Elena barely caught herself from collapsing to floor, her own breath labored as she crawled over to her friend, tears threatening to leak from her eyes.

“Bonnie?” she asked in a small voice, almost afraid of what she’d find.

Bonnie’s eyes cracked open, a small smile flitting across her lips. “It’s done,” she said simply.

Elena gripped Bonnie’s hand briefly and struggled to her feet. She saw her brother huddled against the wall across the entranceway and a sharp pang went through her along with the relief of knowing that he was at least somewhat safe for now. She ran out onto the porch, looking around frantically until she saw a body lying towards the side of the house near the driveway. She nearly fell down the stairs in her haste as she ran, dropping to her knees next to her vampire.

He was covered in what looked like a thin layer of dust, his shirt completely scorched off and blood smeared all over his slowly healing, burnt torso. She reached out a hesitant hand, touching his shoulder gently and he groaned, his head lolling towards her.

“God, Damon, what the hell happened?” she asked in relief as he opened his eyes.

He winced as he tried to sit up, hissing in pain. “Well, I guess Bonnie came through. Katherine turned into a fucking bonfire on top of me.”

Elena looked around briefly. “She’s really dead this time?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking at her closely. “There’s no body.”

Elena met his gaze, frowning slightly, letting her gaze drift over him. “Are you all right?  Does it always take you this long to heal?”

“I’m fine,” he said. He slipped a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Elena, there’s no body.”

She shook her head slowly. “Why does it even matter—” she started to ask and then it hit her. “There’s no body,” she repeated. “There’s no way to prove I didn’t do all the things she set me up for…” She fell back, staring blankly at nothing for several long moments until Damon shifted, letting out another long hiss. She blinked and looked back at him. “You’re not fine. Let’s get you back to the house,” she said, standing and he reluctantly let her help him to his feet and back towards the porch.

When they got to the door they saw Bonnie crouched in front of Jeremy, a stricken expression on her face as she glanced over at them.

“Jeremy?” Elena said softly, slipping away from Damon and moving to her brother’s side, grabbing his hand. “Jeremy, are you okay?”

“He needs blood,” Damon said, leaning heavily against the door frame, “Human blood, or he’s going to die.”

Elena looked back at him, her eyes wide, not knowing what to do.

“So I'm not a vampire yet?” Jeremy asked, speaking for the first time.

Damon shook his head slowly. “Not until you get blood.”

Jeremy stared at Damon for a long moment and then nodded. “I don’t want it.”

Elena’s eyes snapped back to her brother. “You—you want to die?”

When he looked at her, his eyes were pleading. “After everything we learned after Mom and Dad died… I just can’t do it, Elena. I don’t want this. I don’t.” He reached up and grabbed her shoulders. “I’m so sorry, but I… I just can’t.”

Elena was shaking her head, unheeded tears streaming down her face. “But, Jeremy—”

“If he doesn’t want it, then let it be, Elena,” Damon said behind them, his voice taking on a bitter tone. He pushed away from the door, and stumbled past them into the kitchen, disappearing from view.

Elena stared after him for a moment before turning back to her brother. “Jer, I’m so sorry. All of this is my fault. I—”

“Hey. Hey, it’s not you’re fault, Elena,” he said softly, reaching up and wiping her cheek. “Katherine did this and she’s gone now.” He let out a shuddering sigh, pulling back from her slightly and wrapping his arms around himself, frowning. “Is Jenna here?”

Elena nodded, scrubbing her face with her hands. “Yeah, she’s upstairs, still unconscious.”

“I want to see her,” Jeremy said, slowly pushing himself to his feet against the wall.  

Bonnie stepped forward. “I’ll give you guys some privacy,” she said softly, blood and tears mingling on her face. She wrapped her arms around Jeremy, a fresh wave of sobs shaking her before she pulled away. “I'm so sorry, Jer,” she said brokenly, turning and fleeing towards the kitchen as well.

Elena took her brother’s hand and led him upstairs to the room Jenna was in. She still wasn’t awake and they both ended up on the bed next to her.

The room was quiet for a long moment before Jeremy brought up the first Christmas the three of them had shared together after their parents had died; how Jenna had completely destroyed their dinner, nearly smoking them out of the house and they had ended up sitting around the fireplace eating cookies Elena had made the day before.

“I’m going to miss stuff like that,” Jeremy said so quietly, Elena almost didn't hear him. She bit her lip, but couldn’t stop the sob that escaped her as she wrapped her arms around him, feeling like her insides were being ripped out. Jeremy hugged her back, his own breath catching as tears slid from his eyes. “I love you, Elena.”

“Love you too, Jer,” she choked out, staring at nothing, but seeing so much as the room descended into silence and they waited.

 


	18. Chapter 18

Elena slowly made her way down the dark stairs, step by step, feeling completely numb. She stopped at the bottom, taking a deep breath before turning and slowly making her way to the kitchen.

Bonnie stood when she saw her, a sob escaping her friend as she saw the look on Elena’s face. She was by her side a second later, pulling her into a desperate hug. “I’m so, so sorry, Elena,” she said softly through her tears. 

Elena nodded, briefly returning the embrace before pulling back slightly and looking around. “Where’s Damon?”

Bonnie let her go, wiping tears from her eyes. “He went outside a while ago.”

Elena felt a stirring of emotion try to break though the blessed numbness but she concentrated on Bonnie instead. “He left?”

Bonnie shook her head. “I don’t think so. He just said he needed some fresh air.”

Elena nodded and walked to the door that led to the backyard, sliding it open and stepping out into the freezing air of twilight. The sound of rushing water in the small creek behind Bonnie’s house enveloped her and she slowly made her way towards it.

Damon sat on the bank, gazing down at the running water, unmoving as she came and sat next to him on the cold ground.

“You know, I never really forgave my brother for forcing me to turn,” he said, still fixated on the river. “Jeremy would have resented you forever, and for a vampire, that’s a very, very long time.”

Elena didn’t respond, simply filing it away for later when she could pull it out and examine it without the raw, aching pain. They sat in silence for several long moments before she spoke. “I’m surprised you’re not gone yet,” she said, her voice rough.

He still didn’t look at her, his face unreadable in the failing light. “So am I.”

She nodded. “This whole mess is finally over. Katherine’s dead. We can’t do anything about the spell.” She looked over at him. “Why are you still here?”

She saw a frown flit across his face, but he didn’t respond, just continued to watch the water. She felt the lump in her throat rise slightly, but she forced it down, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She couldn’t fall apart again, not yet. “I just wanted to… thank you, for everything. You saved Jenna’s life and mine—”

He suddenly had her pressed to the ground, looking down at her unresisting form with a deep frown on his face. “Do you really believe that?” he growled, his hands twisting in her hair. When she didn’t respond but just continued to stare up at him with her big doe eyes, he shook his head. “I’m the reason you’re in this entire mess to begin with! All of this is my fault! How the hell can you possibly thank me for anything?”

She reached up, grabbing his wrists tightly in her hands. “Katherine did this, Damon. You’re the only reason we aren’t all dead.” She hesitated then, biting her lip, but forced herself to go on. “I know you want to leave. It’s—it’s okay.”

 “Fuck, Elena,” he swore in a low voice, his hands clenching in her hair as his face twisted. “If I had just stayed away from you that night, I’d still be blissfully draining the country folk, not a care in the world.” His hands tightened their hold a little more, lifting her face slightly closer to his. “But god knows, I’m not ready to let you go.” He shook his head, an almost disbelieving expression on his face. “I don’t know what you’ve done to me, Elena, but I can’t turn it off. I’ve been sitting here for hours trying not to want you and I can’t fucking do it.” He let out a shuddering breath, staring at her for another long moment before he rolled off her, staring up at the darkening sky. “So here I am, Elena, and it’s not okay. I don’t think it will ever be okay again.”

 “What do you want me to do, Damon?” she asked in a small voice, barely able to contain the tears building. “Just—just tell me and I’ll do it. I’ve got nothing left… I can’t go to the funeral,” she said, pressing her eyes tight shut. “Everyone still thinks I’m a murderer. Jeremy’s… gone. Who knows what Jenna thinks of me…” 

“Come with me,” he said abruptly and she thought her heart stopped with the words. She turned her head to look at him lying next to her and found him gazing back, an almost pained look on his face.

“You really want that?” she asked in a barely audible voice.

He quirked a brow at her and she swallowed hard, looking back up at the sky and the first evening stars starting to shine through the failing light. “Okay,” she breathed, feeling her heart clench in her chest.

He was suddenly standing over her, blocking her view and holding out a hand to pull her up. “Come on. Let’s get you inside. You’re freezing.”

It was only when she took his cool hand and got to her feet that she realized he was right; she was freezing in her thin shirt, and a shudder ran through her.

His hand slipped out of hers as he walked past her. She turned and looked at the house and she suddenly didn’t want to go back inside, cold or not. All she could think about was Jeremy’s still body lying in the bed upstairs and she gasped as a flash of pain broke through her numbness, the tears she had been holding at bay building in her eyes.

Damon stopped and turned back to her, concern and hesitancy all over his face, obviously unsure what to do. She shook her head, wiping her eyes roughly and walked past him.  She couldn’t give him another reason to leave her too.

They entered the dark kitchen a few moments later, and Elena immediately heard the sobbing coming from upstairs. “Oh, god, Jenna,” she breathed, instantly starting for the stairs, but Damon grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to him.

“The last thing she remembers is you forcing her to jump out a window,” he said, his brow furrowed. “Don’t put yourself through that, Elena.”

Elena bit her lip, looking up at the ceiling. “She shouldn’t have to be alone.” She ran her hand through her hair. “She shouldn’t even have to go through this in the first place.”

“Bonnie’s with her,” he assured, looking at her intently before he lead her to a chair and made her sit. “Just stay here. I’ll be right back.”

She blinked at the sudden empty space before her. She let out a shuddering sigh and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around her cold frame, trying to hold herself together.

A few minutes later she heard the floor creak and opened her eyes to find Bonnie standing before her wearing a sad expression.

“How’s Jenna?” she asked in a cracked voice.

“Not too good, but she’s not hurt. I guess whatever Damon did worked.” Bonnie pulled up a chair and sat down next to her friend. “He said you wanted to talk to me.”

Elena blinked in confusion. “I didn’t… “ She let out a breath and looked up at her friend. “I guess I should tell you that I’m leaving with Damon.”

“What?” Bonnie asked in shock.

“He asked me to go with him and I said I would. I can’t stay here, Bonnie. After all this…”

“We can figure this out, Elena. You haven’t done anything wrong. I’ll talk to Mayor Lockwood and—”

Elena was shaking her head. “Who’s going to believe that my evil vampire twin murdered my entire family and terrorized the rest of the town? With no proof? And witnesses saying otherwise? No, I just… can’t stay here, Bonnie. I don’t even think I want to.”

“There has to be something we can do,” she said with a frown. “But if you do have to leave, why do you have to go with _him_?”

Elena sighed and rubbed her eyes, just feeling so tired. “Because I want too. Okay, Bonnie? Because despite the fact that you only seem to see him as an irredeemable monster, I think he actually cares about me, and somehow, he got me to care about him. He doesn’t have anyone else, and now, neither do I. So just let me go, Bonnie. This is what I want.”

“Oh, Lena,” Bonnie whispered sadly. “You’re—”

“Jenna’s sleeping again,” Damon said, stepping into the kitchen. “She’s going to be fine.”

Elena stood, frowning slightly. “Why’s she sleeping?”

“I made sure she knew you had nothing to do with the deaths of your family,” he said quietly. He hesitated a second and then continued. “And she thinks you died in the fire at your house. It’s better if no one is looking for you, Elena.”

Bonnie shot her a pointed glance, but she ignored her. “You compelled her?” He nodded slightly and she sighed, a lump forming in her throat at the thought of her last remaining family member believing her dead. “I guess it’s probably for the best,” she forced out through numb lips.

She turned to her friend, meeting her dark eyes and she couldn’t hold back the tears at the expression on her face. Then Bonnie had her arms locked around her and she clung to her, choking back the quiet sobs that rocked her. “I’m gonna miss you,” she said brokenly.

“Gonna miss you too,” Bonnie cried back. “Just be safe.” She started to pull back after another long moment then hesitated and leaned in close to Elena’s ear. “Loving him is going to be hard,” she breathed so softly Elena could barely hear her, “but if anyone can do it, it’s you.” She gave her a hard squeeze and then let her go, casting a quick look at Damon before hurrying from the room and heading back up the stairs.

Elena stood frozen, unable to move or comprehend what Bonnie had said until Damon’s light touch on her arm startled her out of her jumbled thoughts.

“You ready?” he asked, his blue eyes boring into her.

She nodded mutely and followed him through the house, casting one last glance up the stairs before she left for good. When she slid into the passenger seat of the car and Damon started up the engine, she felt like she was going to shatter.  She was so concentrated on holding herself together that she didn’t even notice that they were back at the bed and breakfast until he shut the car off and looked over at her. She glanced around numbly, unable to meet his gaze. After a silent minute he sighed and got out of the car, coming around, opening her door and lifting her out of the car. She normally would have protested, but at that moment she didn’t care. She didn’t care about much of anything.

 

A week passed.

 

Elena was surprised that Damon was content to stay in Mystic Falls after that first night. She thought they had come back to Mrs. Flowers’ to spend the night before heading out the next morning. But when she woke up the next day, blurry eyed with no desire to move, only to find Damon gone, she didn’t complain, just rolled on her back to stare up at the pure white ceiling and let her grief wash over her.

 It crossed her mind the following morning that maybe he had left her after all. She hadn’t seen him since he first brought her to the room, and the thought that he had finally managed to leave only sunk her farther into her depression.

By mid-afternoon she managed to roll out of bed and make her way to the bathroom to draw herself a bath. She let herself soak in the steaming water for almost an hour, and when she finally did get out and dry off, she felt marginally better. She entered the room and stopped cold when she found him sitting at the ridiculously girly vanity, tapping his foot and staring at the floor.

She stared at him for a full minute before she walked back over to the bed and laid down. He glanced up at her, his expression unreadable, but she took comfort in his presence, and he stayed, silent and unmoving, until sleep finally claimed her again.

The next four days passed that way. . Mrs. Flowers brought food by, leaving it on the vanity for her if she was asleep. Sometimes she would wake up and he would be there, and sometimes he wouldn’t be. She woke up once to him sitting next to her on the bed, watching her with an expression so intense tears flooded her eyes, but before she could say anything, he was gone. She didn’t find him on the bed again.

She eventually reached the point where she couldn’t sleep anymore. So instead she would sit, thoughts of the events and everything that had led up to it swirling around in her mind. And slowly, she accepted the fact that she couldn’t have stopped what had happened. She stopped tearing up at the very thought of her brother. She no longer felt like the slightest movement or memory would break her into a million pieces.

On the seventh day, Damon found her sitting on the chair that he normally occupied, already showered and ready for the day. She saw him stop just inside the door, eyeing her warily.

“Why haven’t we left yet?” she asked in a soft voice, somewhat scratchy from crying and lack of use.

He shrugged, stepping fully into the room and shutting the door. “We both needed some time.”

She nodded and stood, coming to stand in front of him. “Thank you.”

He reached out, threading his hand through her hair as he pulled her closer. “I’ll give you one last out,” he said roughly, looking down at her. “One last chance to run screaming.”

She just shook her head as she pulled him down to her, pressing her lips to his in a searing kiss. She sighed against him in relief as she felt him respond, hauling her body even closer, but he kept the kiss light, almost chaste, and when he pulled back mere inches so they were both still inhale each other’s air, she opened her eyes and stared at him, bemused.

“I’m serious, Elena,” he said, his grip tightening. “When we leave here, you’re all mine. No going back.”

“Damon, I want this,” she said, running her hands down his face, her fingertips brushing his hair before they came to rest on his neck.  “And not just because I have nothing left to keep me here. I want _you_. I want to know you. Even though you’re going to drive me insane and make me so angry I’ll probably want to kill you. But that’s the point, Damon. You make me feel, and that’s exactly what I need right now.”

She saw a flash of relief flit across his face before the ghost of a smirk replaced it. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Then you’ll have to show me,” she said in a low, inviting voice, tempered by a sad smile.

He closed the small distance between them, capturing her lips again with his and she felt his overwhelming need even as he tried to keep the kiss light. It was almost enough to break her heart all over again, but she reminded herself that this was just the beginning for them, not the end. This was something she could fix and as she felt his tongue slowly caress hers she couldn’t help but think that they were on their way.

She laced her fingers through his soft hair, taking her time to explore him like she never had before; the way he lightly sucked her bottom lip before delving in all over again, or the subtle taste that was purely _Damon_ , the way his mouth moved perfectly with hers, giving and taking in equal measure.

She sighed into him, a contented hum escaping her as one of his hands skimmed along her arm before slipping to the small of her back, the other twisting in her hair as he cupped her face. He pulled back abruptly and Elena gasped, looking up at him in confusion.

“What?” she asked breathlessly.

“Tell me you’re all right.”

She frowned. “What are you…?”

“I just need to know you’re okay, that this isn’t some crazy, self destructive grief coping whatever.” His eyes searched her face. “Not that I’m opposed to whatever… this is…”

She lightly laid a finger on his lips, silencing him. “I’m… not okay, but I’m getting there. You’re helping me get there.” She ran her finger along his bottom lip as he parted them slightly. “I can’t stay cooped up in this room forever, and I don’t want to, but I wouldn’t be opposed to a few more hours.”

 A genuine smile spread across his face, and she couldn’t help but smile back at the almost boyish happiness she saw there. He leaned into her again, and this time when he pressed his lips to hers she felt the edge, the hunger that she wasn’t sure would ever be sated.

He slowly backed her into the bed and she let her legs fold under her as they hit the mattress, sitting down. She pulled at his t-shirt as she slid back on the mattress and he immediately shucked off his jacket and had his shirt off before she could blink. She started to slid further back on the bed, but he grabbed her ankle and jerked her closer as he crawled on top of her, settling between her thighs as his hands slipped under her shirt, burning a trail up her stomach and over her ribs till they found her breasts. She arched into them, moaning at the friction of her nipples rubbing against his palms. 

“God, you’re so beautiful,” he breathed, pulling her own shirt over her head and gazing down at her half naked form. He let his fingertips roam over her as she gazed up at him, along the waistband of her pants, up over her stomach to trace just under her breasts, before skimming over her collarbone to the indent at the base of her throat.  He leaned down, his lips following the same trail as his hands, causing her breath to turn to gasps and her heartbeat to pound even harder against her chest. He started his way back down, pausing to draw one hardened nipple into his warm mouth, his tongue and teeth driving her nearly mad before he continued his way down her body, slipping her pants over her hips and down her long legs before dropping them to the floor.

She shivered slightly, whether from the cool air of the room or the feel of his hands gliding from her knees up her thighs she wasn’t sure. She propped herself up on her elbows, but he let out a low growl, pushing her back onto the bed before he settled between her legs again, his hands tracing small circles on the insides of her thighs, pushing them wider.

“Damon,” she whimpered, her body humming with need.

“Shhh,” he whispered, and she gasped as she felt the first long swipe of his tongue between her folds. He pressed closer and when he took her clit in his mouth, sucking lightly, she couldn’t stop the cry that escaped her, her hands clutching at the bed sheets. He kissed and sucked and flicked, building her up higher and higher till she though she’d die if she didn’t come, and when he slipped two fingers into her tight, wet heat, curling slightly, she hurtled over the edge, completely falling apart. Her entire body convulsed with mind numbing pleasure as shudder after shudder ripped through her, the air rushing from her lungs in desperate gasps, unable to even form the thought of words.

She finally stilled with a groan, little aftershocks still rocking her body as Damon left one last lingering kiss as he pulled back, looking up at her with dark eyes, not quite completely transformed, but on the brink.

She reached down and pulled him up to her, kissing him hard, tasting herself on his lips and finding herself even more turned on, if that was possible. She felt a physical ache to have him inside her.

“You have on too many clothes,” she breathed against his mouth, one hand holding him in place as the other fumbled with the button on his jeans.

He chuckled against her, and despite her struggles, pulled away to slip out of his pants. He was back in place a moment later, and she moaned at the feel of him pressed hard against her wet center. She bucked her hips, coating him in her juices as she moved to position him at her entrance.

“Impatient much?” he asked with a grin as he teasingly pulled back slightly. 

“God, you have no idea,” she moaned. “Please, Damon…”

“What the lady wants…” he said softly, as he slowly moved forward.

Elena clenched around him as he slowly pushed his way inside her, stretching her tight heat till he was completely buried in her. Her head fell back, her mouth open in a silent ‘O’ as she marveled at how perfect he felt. She looked up at him, a similar expression on his face and she leaned up for a kiss just as he slid back out slowly. She froze and groaned into his open mouth as he filled her once more, just as slowly.

She could already feel her orgasm building, every minute move sending tingles flashing out from her center, her stomach clenching with anticipation. Damon moved his hips again, picking up speed just a bit as he hooked his arm behind her knee and jerked it up. The new angle stole her breath and a little cry escaped her as he sank deeper inside her.

She wrapped her other leg around him and bucked her hips. He got the message and his thrusts sped up, turning slightly rough as he let out a soft groan. She gasped, clutching at his shoulders, his back, the feel of his trembling muscles under her hands just adding to her overloaded senses.

His mouth captured her breast again as his hand continued to roam the rest of her body and she pressed herself closer to him, meeting him thrust for thrust as he skillfully drove her closer and closer to release. He shifted their angle once again, driving into her harder and her entire body tightened around him, urging him not to stop, her nails digging into his skin till they almost drew blood.

He made a low noise, his lips searing a path up from her aching nipple to rest at the crook of her neck, breathing hard. The feel of him inside her, hitting her just right, with every thrust teasing her clit had her ready to fall apart faster than she thought possible. She felt every inch of his body straining against her, and when she felt him groan against her throat, she fell, hard.

A scream was ripped from her throat as sensations she couldn’t describe wrecked her body. Every muscle she had tensed and trembled with it until she couldn’t tell up from down, all she knew was the feel of him all around her, inside her.

She felt herself starting to come down, her hand slipping up to lace affectionately through his hair, when she felt the brush of sharp teeth against her skin. “Yes,” she breathed, just as he pierced her flesh.

Her vision whited out and it felt like time had stopped. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breath, could only try to deal with the overwhelming pleasure as another orgasm crashed through her. Her inner walls clenched around him again and she felt him spill himself inside her as he clutched her to him so tightly it was almost painful, a pleasure filled moan escaping him as he took one final draw of her blood.

They both collapsed at the same time, both their bodies completely spent, neither wanting nor able to move. Damon laid a light, lingering kiss on her throat and she smiled, pressing her cheek to his. “That was… amazing,” she said softly against his ear.

“Perfect,” he responded, slowly moving off her. He slipped an arm around her, brushing her breasts as he pulled her into him, cradling her pleasantly limp body against his own.

She snuggled closer, molding herself to him. “You know, I’m always going to be here, Damon. The only way I’ll leave is if you ask me.”

His arm tightened around her. “That’s something you’ll never hear leave my lips. You were made for me,” he breathed in her ear. “There’s no way I’m ever letting you go.”

 


	19. Chapter 19

Elena awoke slowly. She blinked rapidly at the bright morning light shinning in the window onto the bed and groaned slightly, throwing an arm over her eyes. She laid there quietly for a few moments, becoming more and more aware of the warm body pressed against her back. A lazy smile spread across her face, and she rolled over, slipping an arm across his bare torso and settling herself closer, her legs twining with his. She gazed at his face, marveling at how young and innocent he looked when he slept. She reached up slowly, gently tracing a finger over his dark lashes before trailing down to lips.

His own hand suddenly caught her wrist, and she tensed briefly at the sudden movement before allowing herself to sink back into him as his arm tightened around her.

“You’re up early,” he said, his eyes fluttering open as he placed a lingering kiss on her wrist before letting it go again.

“Sun woke me up,” she replied softly, resting her head on his shoulder and breathing him in. “Doesn’t mean I can feel my body right now.”

“I think I could make you feel something,” he said, his hand on her back slipping further around her, grazing the side of her breast.

Her laugh ended in a groan. “We’ve been locked in this room for four days. I seriously think I need a day of recovery.”

He let out a long sigh. “We need to be heading out anyways.”

Elena grew still against him, reality hitting her hard once again. “Yeah, we do.”

His grip tightened on her briefly. “Come on.”

They left the bed and breakfast a little over an hour later. Mrs. Flowers saw them off, voicing over and over how sad she was to see them go.

Damon was already behind the wheel when she slid into the seat next to him. He stared straight ahead, his brow furrowed, and she quickly leaned across and kissed him on the cheek. “Stop it,” she said softly in his ear.

He glanced at her with a frown. “Stop what?”

“Thinking whatever it is you’re thinking. I want to be here; you want to be here. Let’s just be.”

He stared at her for several long moments, his expression almost spooked, but he nodded and started the car, pulling away from the B and B a moment later.

They hadn’t talked about where they were going next, but Elena expected them to immediately head out of town, so she was somewhat confused when he started heading the other way. She glanced at him wanting to ask but at the same time not. There was a tenseness to him that she had only felt flashes of before, and the fear of pushing him too far caused her to sit back in her seat and gaze out the window, nibbling her lip nervously as they continued down the empty road.

They passed the outskirts of town and when he made another turn she sat up a little straighter, her brow furrowing. “Damon, where are we going?”

“You need to make one last stop before we go.”

“I don’t think—”

“Trust me,” he said firmly, leaving no room to argue.

He pulled off the road a few minutes later, slowly shifting out of gear and shutting the car off. They both sat, unmoving for a long moment, Elena’s eyes fixed out her window and Damon’s on the death grip his hands had on the steering wheel. She didn’t say anything, just slipped out of the car, staring across the field of gravestones to the freshly overturned earth. The sight caused a fresh wave of tears to bubble up, but she swallowed hard and forced them down as she slowly started making her way around the head markers to where Jeremy lay with her parents.

She stopped in front of the three graves, two overgrown and covered in frosty grass and one freshly turned earth. She felt herself sink to her knees, the tears finally winning out and sliding silently down her cheeks. Damon was right, she needed this. One last chance to say goodbye.

She heard soft footsteps behind her, and she wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood, turning to find him standing several feet away, watching her with worried eyes. She moved and found herself in his arms, her face buried in his chest as a shuddering breath left her. “Damon…”

“Elena, I…” He trailed off, his voice uncertain. His hand came up and ran lightly over her hair. She could practically feel vulnerability radiating off of him and her grip on him tightened. “Emotions aren’t really my strong suit…”

“I love you, Damon,” she said softly into his shirt, feeling the truth of the words in every fiber of her being. She didn’t know how it had happened or why, but there was no changing it.

She felt him tense slightly under her touch. “Don’t say it unless you mean it,” he breathed into her hair.

“I mean it,” she said, her grip tightening on him. “I think I’ve loved you for a while now.”

She felt his body melt into hers, the tension flowing out of him as his hand tangled in her hair, holding her to him. “God, I love you,” he burst out, relaxing even further in her embrace. “You can’t leave me. Ever. I don't think I’d survive it.”

She pulled back slightly, just enough to fit her lips to his, giving him a lingering kiss that left a smile on both their faces. “Don’t worry. Neither would I.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Epilogue**

 

Elena stood in the deep shadow of the oak tree, gazing at the scene across the street with an aching heart. Jenna sat on her porch, yelling teasing comments to her husband, Ric, and their small daughter playing on the lawn. They looked so happy, Elena would have given almost anything to be a part of it.

Even while a part of her longed for her family and her old life, she knew that if she had that, she would have given up the best thing that had ever happened to her—Damon.

It had been almost five years since she’d left with Damon. They’d had their share of bumps along the way, and she still wanted to kill him most of the time, but she was irrevocably in love with him. After the revelation she’d had at the graveyard, her feelings had only grown stronger. The more she learned about him, the more she knew she could never let him go.

They had left Mystic Falls and never considered coming back until they’d gotten a cryptic message from Bonnie mentioning the spell still on them and a possible way to break it.  They’d fought for days about what to do. Over the years, they’d gotten used to the odd way the spell affected them. Elena’s random control over him had had some good side effects but was mostly just a contention point. But even though they had every reason in the world to stay away, a part of Elena still missed her hometown, and eventually they had agreed to come back briefly to see what could be done and for Elena to do what she was doing now—seeing her family.

Damon had slipped out earlier that morning to check up on a few things, and Elena had decided to take the time to look in on Jenna and Ric. Seeing them so happy and feeling the dull ache in her heart, she almost wished she hadn’t.

She turned away, a sad smile on her face, deep in thought and almost didn’t hear the sharp intake of breath or the hammer being cocked on the gun. Almost.

She froze and her eyes shot up, horrified to find a Mystic Falls deputy she didn’t recognize standing in front of her, gun out and pointed straight at her chest. Her heart nearly beat out of her ribcage as she fell back a step.

“Don’t move!” the deputy yelled, the gun shaking slightly.

Elena flinched and glanced back at the house. Please, please don’t let them hear, she thought desperately. “I’m not going to do anything,” she said as calmly as possible, turning back to the deputy.

“Hands up!” he demanded, taking one hand off the gun to talk into the radio at his shoulder. “I have a V-5 over on east Bank street, near the Saltzman house,” he said quickly, getting a crackly response.

Elena paled, raising her hands. “I’m not a vampire,” she said, taking a step forward.

“I said don’t move!” he yelled, both hands back on the gun.

She could feel her heartbeat in her ears, all her concentration on the man in front of her. What would they do to her when they arrested her? Would they charge her? Just lock her up? What would Jenna do when she found out she wasn’t dead? Elena didn’t want to find out. She looked around frantically, wishing she knew where Damon was.

“Please, what have I done? I'm not a vampire, I’m just a girl,” she said again, taking another hesitant step forward.

She didn’t hear the shot, only felt the intense pressure on her chest, knocking her to the ground. For a moment, confusion was the only thing she felt, and then the pain hit her. She tried to gasp, but blood choked her, and she couldn’t get her arms to work properly. She couldn’t breath, couldn’t speak, could only wish she could see Damon one more time before everything went black.

*                                  *                                  *

She awoke with a gasp, sitting up, clutching her chest. Hands on her shoulders steadied her, and she looked up, focusing on the concerned face in front of her. “Bonnie?” she asked in confusion, looking around, trying to get her bearings.

“Elena,” she said in relief. “I didn’t think you’d ever wake up.”

She looked around, horrified to see the stainless steel drawers lining the wall and florescent lights shining down on her. “Are we at the morgue?” she asked in a small voice, pulling her knees up to her still bloody chest on the cold metal slab she was on.

Bonnie nodded. “They brought you in a few hours ago. Elena… you—you died.”

She shuddered slightly. “I—I know. Where’s Damon?”

Bonnie let go of her and stepped back slightly. “You died, Elena,” she said pointedly. “The spell…”

Elena paled and slipped to her feet, wobbling slightly on her unsteady legs. “No,” she breathed. “Where is he, Bonnie? Please, tell me he’s alright,” she demanded, barely keeping it together.

Tears were forming in Bonnie’s eyes as she looked at her friend. “He’s at my house. I was telling him about how I thought we could break the spell…” She shook her head. “I had to… Elena, it was bad…”

Her breath was coming in gasps, and she forced herself to calm down. “We need to go.”

Bonnie led her through the cold halls and out a nondescript side door to where her car was parked, and they were speeding down the road moments later.

“Did Jenna find out what happened?” she asked, staring straight ahead. Every nerve in her body felt like it had been exposed with a cheese grater. Sounds were too loud, light was too bright, even smells made her twitch, especially one in particular. She glanced over at Bonnie, her eyes sliding over the exposed skin of her neck, and she jerked her gaze back out the window, trying to calm her rising panic.

“No, I don’t think so. The police were trying to keep it really quiet.”

Elena shuddered and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. “I should have never come back here. Damon told me it was stupid, but I said it would be fine…”

“Elena…”

“No. This is all my fault.”

Bonnie shook her head, looking back at the road. “It’s going to be okay.”

Elena bit her lip, shaking her head. “Not if he’s…” She broke off, drawing in a shuddering gasp. “We talked about me turning, you know,” she said abruptly. Bonnie shot her a quick glance. “We were planning on doing it, when we thought the time was right. But we always wondered about that damn spell.” She made a small noise, pulling her knees up to her chest. “I can’t do this without him, Bonnie.”

Her friend looked at her again. “I know.”

They finally pulled up to the house, and Elena all but bolted from the car, blinking rapidly in the bright sunlight, wincing slightly. She stopped at the front door, waiting for Bonnie who was there a moment later to unlock it. She entered the house, looking around frantically. “Where is he, Bonnie?” she asked, rounding on the witch.

Bonnie hesitated a moment. “He’s in the basement.” Elena turned, but she grabbed her arm, stopping her. “He’s not safe, Elena. Something… snapped when you died. I don’t know how to explain it, but he lost it.”

Elena pulled away from her, shaking her head. “I don’t care, Bonnie.” She turned away and headed for the door that led down the rough wooden stairs to the dark, half finished cellar.

She couldn’t find the light switch so she stopped at the bottom of the steps in the pool of light from the open door and heard a scrapping sound across the room. “Damon,” she called softly, stepping hesitantly into the darkness.

Something slammed into her, driving her into the cement floor. She tried to move, and suddenly the weight was thrown off of her, Bonnie muttering under her breath as she came down the steps behind her, flicking the light switch on the wall.

Elena gasped, scrambling to her feet and feeling like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. Damon sat huddled across the dank space from her, his knees pulled up and his hands clutching his head. “Bonnie, stop,” she whispered through numb lips. A low moan escaped from Damon’s balled form and she spun on the witch. “I said stop!” she screamed, fists clenched.

Bonnie looked away from the vampire and Elena spun, seeing his entire body go limp. She was by his side a second later, her hands fluttering over him.

“Elena—”

“You have to help him!” she begged in desperation. “Please, Bonnie. There has to be something you can do!”

The tears Bonnie had been holding at bay during the drive were slipping down her cheeks. “I—I tried, Elena! I tried to lift the spell after… It didn’t work. Nothing worked. I’m so, so sorry.”

Elena looked away, unable to take any more. “Just go, Bonnie. Please?” she begged, not sparing her friend a glance. “I just… Let me take care of him.”

“You don’t understand! Whatever humanity he had is gone. He could kill you!”

“I’m already dead!” she yelled back, glaring at her as heat flared through her body. “ _You_ don’t understand, Bonnie! If he’s really gone, then I don’t care. I’m already _dead_. Either he’ll kill me, or I won’t complete the transition. It won’t much matter at that point.”

Bonnie looked at her with an expression torn between sympathy, horror, and love. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more, Elena. Just… just be careful, okay? I’ll be right upstairs if you need me.”

Elena nodded, and she heard Bonnie’s reluctant footsteps going back up the steps and the door closing above them.

“Damon,” she called, barely above a whisper. Her fingers lightly stroked his cheek, and his eyelids fluttered slightly. “I need you to be okay,” she said, her voice heavy with unshed tears.

His eyes finally flickered open, and she drew in a sharp breath, hope surging through her. She leaned closer and finally met his gaze, her blood running cold.

There was nothing she recognized in the blue orbs staring back at her, just a feral, empty fury, and before she could move he had her pinned to the floor, his fingers digging painfully into the skin of her arms.

“Damon, I’m so sorry.” She didn’t try to fight back or stop him, she knew it was useless anyway. Lola had been telling the truth all those years ago, and Katherine would finally have her vengeance.  This was how it would end, for both of them.

His empty eyes gazed down at her for a long, drawn out moment, the veins slowly twisting around them until they were blood red, and then he struck. A gasp escaped her when his fangs sank into her, and he started the slow, steady draw. She whimpered slightly, her hands fisting in his hair, her eyes tight shut against the pain until her arms fell limp at her side and everything she knew slipped away.

 

*                                  *                                  *

She woke to darkness, confusion flooding her mind. She tried to sit up, but her body felt like lead, and she fell back with a groan as pain lanced through her from her toes to her eyes.

“Elena!”

She froze, her heart almost stopping. “Damon?” she asked in a raspy voice. She felt hands grab her, and then she was being cradled in his lap, his hands shaking as they held her.

“I thought I’d killed you.” His voice was rough with barely contained emotion.

“Damon…” She swallowed, her throat dry. “I already died. I’m in transition.”

He nodded against her. “I know. I tried to give you blood, and it didn’t work.”

She tried to move to see him, but pain shot through her again and she gasped, settling back against him. “You don’t have a lot of time,” he said softly.

She nodded slowly. “You’re all right now? Whatever the spell did to you is over?”

“I think it was your blood that brought me back, but yeah, I feel fine now.”

She sighed. “Good.”

“Elena,” he said hesitantly, pain lacing his words. “I know we talked about this, but… I’ll understand if you don’t want to turn.”

She smiled slightly. “The only reason I wouldn’t want this, Damon, was if I couldn’t be with you.”

“Don’t do this for me, Elena. If you do, eventually the only thing you’ll feel for me is resentment. If you decide to transition, it should be because _you_ want to.”

Elena hesitated only a moment. “I want this. I'm a selfish person, Damon. I want you forever.”

She felt his body relax against her. “Good. I don’t know if I would have been able to sit back and watch you die, and having you hate me for all eternity would have been pretty shitty.”

“I wouldn’t have hated you forever,” she muttered as he picked her up.

“Maybe.”

The left the cellar to find Bonnie standing at the end of the hall, her blood shot eyes wide. “You broke it?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“If that’s what you want to call it,” Damon said, his grip on Elena tightening slightly before he set her gently on her feet, one arm still around her to hold her up. He reached into his pocket, and tossed something at Bonnie who fumbled to catch it in her surprise. “We’re going to get some blood. I expect you know what to do with that?” he asked, his voice low.

Bonnie held up the ring he had thrown to her, wiping her eyes and examining it slightly before nodding.

Elena looked up at him. “You’ve just been caring that around?”

He shrugged and swept her up again, heading out of the house. The sun was setting, the house and trees sending long shadows over the lawn. He sat her on the porch, his hands lingering briefly before he pulled away and disappeared to his car parked down the street.

Elena drew in a deep breath, trying to soak in these last moments. She didn’t regret them, and with a start, realized she didn’t regret much of anything. She looked back at everything that had gotten her to this moment and felt herself satisfied with the roll she had played. Sure, she wished some things had turned out differently, but the past was done, and she found that she could live with it.

Damon appeared at the bottom of the porch, gazing up at her, a blood bag in his hands.  As she watched him approach, a slow smile crept over her face, her heart finally free from the burdens she’d been carrying around for the past five years.

He sat down next to her, his normally turbulent gaze holding the only emotion she needed to see.

She didn’t hesitate when she reached for the bag.

 

 


End file.
